LETHBRIDGE, AB – Special fundraisers and donations recently made it possible for Immanuel Lutheran Church to purchase 10,000 copies of Un hombre llamado Jesus: El vivió entre nosotros (“Who is this man called Jesus? He lived among us”). This Spanish-language 128 page booklet brings the stories and ministry of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels to life in colourful comic book style.

All 10,000 books were purchased through the generous support of the people of Immanuel Lutheran and are available free of charge to anyone who wants to see the Gospel grow. Half of the books were donated to LCC’s synodical office in Winnipeg. The books are now en route to Nicarague—courtesy of Canadian Lutheran World Relief—where they will be used by the Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua) and LCC’s missions, especially in children’s education programs.

“Our gratitude goes to our Lord God for having made available these resources for LCC’s missions in Central America,” said Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel, LCC’s executive for missions and social ministry. “LCC’s missions committee would also like to express its gratitude to Walter Egli of Immanuel Lutheran. His tremendous efforts stand behind the entire process of raising funds, printing the books, and having them shipped to Nicaragua.”

The remaining 5,000 books are stored in Lethbridge. Individuals visiting a Spanish speaking country for personal reasons or church groups travelling on missions projects to Mexico and similar countries are invited to take some of the books along. They can be handed out to anyone you befriend along the way—a small child learning to read, the woman cleaning your hotel room, or a local church whose pastor would appreciate the resource.

The books are boxed in cartons of 50, each weighing 9.75 kg (about 22 lbs). While Immanuel Lutheran is happy to provide the books free of charge, individuals and groups wishing to obtain copies will be responsible for transporting the books.

To order some of the books, or for more information on the congregation’s Nicaragua book fund, contact Immanuel Lutheran Church:

Immanuel Lutheran Church
20 Rocky Mountain Boulevard
Lethbridge, AB  T1K 8E1
Ph: (403) 327-4336
Email: ilchurch@immanuellutheran.ca
www.immanuellutheran.ca

Participants at the 2009 planning conference identified eight directions and strategies which they believed were most pressing for Lutheran Church–Canada to address. Now, LCC is happy to present a series of Bible studies exploring how the directions can impact the mission and ministry of every congregation and member in our church body. Entitled “God’s Directing Light: Lutheran Church–Canada’s Strategic Plan in the Light of God’s Word,” the series can be found at LCC’s website at www.lutheranchurch.ca/strategy.

“We are grateful to our Lord God for this series of Bible studies, which focus on His Word, the light beam and guide helping us carry out our mission and ministry related to Lutheran Church–Canada’s Strategic Directions,” said LCC’s Executive for Missions and Outreach Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel. “We thank the authors who prepared the Bible studies, and those who revised them for use in the church.”

Authors and team leaders of the studies include Rev. James Avery (Bethel Lutheran, Sherwood Park, Alberta), Gary Brucker (First Lutheran, Kelowna, B.C.), Deacon Daryl Becker (ABC District), Rev. William Ney (Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots), Rev. Ken Maher, (Christ our Hope Lutheran, Collingwood, Ontario), Rev. Wayne Olsen (La Ronge Lutheran Fellowship), Rev. Dr. Dieter Kays (Faithlife Financial, emeritus), and Rev. Phillip Washeim (Redeemer Lutheran, Victoria, B.C.).

Nearly 20,000 people gathered at Parliament Hill in Ottawa today for the fifteenth annual March for Life, reports LifeSiteNews,—a number well above last year’s record draw of 15,000. The annual event protests abortion and calls on lawmakers provide legal protection for children still in their mothers’ wombs.

At the beginning of the march, Vice-President Don Hutchinson of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada prayed “that the day will come when this gathering will not be necessary—when justice will be restored for the innocent voiceless, and our nation will be renewed in its foundation of dignity and respect for all human beings.”

The March for Life takes place every year in May, near the date in 1969 when abortion was first legally permitted if approved by an official three-doctor panel. All restrictions on abortion in Canada were removed after a 1988 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada found existing abortion laws unconstitutional. While the Court invited Parliament to draft a new law, no such law has ever been passed, making Canada the only democracy in the world to have no legal restrictions on abortion.

Debate over abortion has taken on new momentum in recent months with the introduction of a private member’s bill in Parliament by MP Stephen Woodworth. In the bill, Mr. Woodworth calls for the creation of a committee to discuss the legal definition of human life. Under current Canadian law, a baby is denied all rights until it has completely proceeded from the mother’s body. The bill was first debated in Parliament during April, and will come up for second debate and vote in either June or September.

It’s garnered support from Lutherans for Life-Canada and member congregations of Lutheran Church–Canada. Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Kitchener, Ontario) has provided online resources for those wishing to support Mr. Woodworth’s bill.

Readers may also be interested in “The Christian and Abortion,” an article by Rev. Richard Juritsch of Lutherans for Life-Canada which appeared in the January-February issue of The Canadian Lutheran.

Delegates at work at the East District Convention

The East District of Lutheran Church–Canada re-elected Rev. Paul Zabel as its president at its 2012 convention May 7. Also elected were Rev. Timothy Teuscher as First Vice President, Rev. Ron Mohr as Second Vice President, and Mrs. Lois Griffin as Secretary.

The East District is holding its convention in Collingwood, Ontario until May 9. It began the evening of May 5 with a worship service. LCC President Robert Bugbee preached, while Rev. Ken Maher served as liturgist and President Zabel as lector.

Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II was forced to cancel his presentations following the death of his father. In his place, Rev. Larry Gajdos (Mission Executive of the East District) gave an extended presentation on the challenge of sharing Christ in intercultural settings. On May 8, Al Feth of Lutheran Foundation Canada presented on stewardship, highlighting “our free and joyful response.” President Zabel will address the convention May 9 on how Jesus Lights our way as the Light of the World.

Image posted by Swinimer on Facebook

by Mathew Block

Chester Basin, N.S. – A student who was suspended after refusing to remove a Christian t-shirt is vowing to wear the shirt again when he returns to class Monday. William Swinimer, a Grade 12 student at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin, Nova Scotia, was suspended for five days after ignoring instructions to stop wearing the shirt. It reads “Life is wasted without Jesus,” and is followed by a reference to Philippians 3:8. (“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that that I may gain Christ.” – ESV).

Swinimer says the case is about religious freedom, and that the school shouldn’t forbid him from expressing his beliefs. “That’s my opinion,” he told CTV‘s Canada AM Friday morning, “but under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms I’m allowed to have my opinion and express my opinion.”

The South Shore Regional School Board disagrees. In a notice recently posted on their website, the school board writes that students “may choose to wear clothing that embraces their beliefs.” But, it goes on to say, “it is expected that students will not wear clothing with messages that may offend others’ beliefs, race, religion, culture or lifestyle.” Failure to comply with an admonition to stop wearing a shirt becomes “an issue of non-compliance or defiance” and may result in suspension.

Support for Swinimer is coming from an unlikely source: The Centre for Inquiry (Canada), a national organization of atheists and agnostics, has issued a release defending Swinimer’s right to wear the shirt. “This shirt causes no harm and is a perfectly acceptable contribution to the marketplace of ideas,” said National Communication Director Justin Trottier. “We have consistently defended free speech rights for groups regardless of our agreement on message, including Muslim and Christian ads in public space and censored pro-life debates on campus.”

There are signs that the school board may be backing down. The board reports that it “has invited individuals to participate in a facilitated process to resolve this situation in a manner that is respectful of the rights of everyone involved.”

Update (May 4, 2012 - 7:30 p.m. CST): The South Shore Regional School Board has reversed its decision to forbid William Swinimer from wearing his Christian t-shirt. In a release posted on the school board’s website, Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake wrote that “the t-shirt is not what matters anymore,” and highlighted a forum to be held Monday on the subject of student expression of beliefs. “It is very important that we move away from a narrow debate about a slogan or message on a t-shirt,” she said, ”and on to a broader discussion of how to express our beliefs in a respectful manner and how we deal with concerns about that message.”

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Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran.

Contributions raised for the "Make a Real Impact" campaign. (l-r) Debbie Reece (SGH Foundation Chair), Doug Deichert (FaithLife Financial), Marjorie Brickeman (Convenor of Fundraising Bazaar), and Rev. Will Kramer.

WATERLOO, Ont. – The 360 chapters of FaithLife Financial and their members supported initiatives within their communities and around the world for a total of 90,732 volunteer hours in 2011—an all-time high the equivalent of $1,360,973.*

President and CEO Karen Bjerland said, “I am very thankful for the commitment of our Members and their Chapters. Last year, they went above and beyond with a record number of volunteer hours to impact people’s lives—building a better world one community at a time.”

Members gave generously of their time—providing support for food banks, shelters, hospitals, churches, mission trips, youth programs, and other community support initiatives. As an example, the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wartburg (Ontario) presented a cheque for $3,300 in support of the Make a Real Impact campaign for the MRI department at Stratford General Hospital. FaithLife Financial contributed a matching grant of $500 to this chapter initiative.

Roney Mohammed Ali, a Somali refugee, ties her baby on her back in Dadaab refugee camp in Northeastern Kenya. (Photographer: Paul Jeffrey/Act Alliance)

Examples of international outreach include a chapter from Christ Lutheran Church in St. Catharines (Ontario) which raised over $500 for a child feeding program they support in Nicaragua. Other chapters raised more than $24,000 plus $5,250 in FaithLife Financial matching grants for aid to the Horn of Africa—helping men, women and children threatened by the most severe drought in decades. The Africa funds were sent through Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) and World Vision. Members in these chapters contributed more than 1420 fundraising hours—responding to dire needs with compassion and generosity. FaithLife Financial members model the Christian principles of compassion, respect and generosity to build a better world.

FaithLife Financial is a Christian, not-for-profit, member-based financial services organization that provides insurance and investment solutions to more than 33,000 members in Canada. It administers assets of $644 million and has more than $2.4 billion of in-force insurance as of December 31, 2011. The organization reinvests a portion of its earnings in programs that support members, their congregations and communities, as well as people in need worldwide. Its mission is to help Canadian Christians protect their financial future, live their Christian values and build a better world. For more information, visit FaithLife Financial’s website, visit them on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

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*This is based on a calculation rate recommended by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.

Rev. Frank Morgret speaks with students at Université Laval in Quebec City.

by Rev. Dr. David H. Somers

QUEBEC CITY, Que. – What happens to the generous offerings gathered by appeals such as the East District’s 125th anniversary special offering? Both ventures in outreach, two projects in Quebec yield different answers. In Quebec City, building on the co-operation of a half dozen or so Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) members who happened to move to the city within months of each other, worship services were begun. An application for seed funds for exploratory outreach from the 125th anniversary offering for $3,640 was made and approved by the East District in mid-2008. No church building was available, but a 19th century prison-become-private library was. This is where monthly Lutheran services were held. The grant covered one year of monthly trips by Missionaries David Somers (Montreal, Quebec) and Razafy Razafindrakoto (Sherbrooke, Quebec) to lead Divine Service, as well as funds for newspaper ads. The local community covered rental costs and subsequent transportation costs. In an unrelated development, Lutheran services were also started at the Valcartier base by the two LCC chaplains then stationed there.

The LCC mission in Quebec City carries on. During the summer of 2010 the Quebec community decided to continue meeting and to organize locally, assuming more responsibilities and taking initiative instead of merely responding to Missionary-at-large (MAL) directives. This step was encouraged following the work-related moves of members from the Sherbrooke Lutheran Mission to Quebec City (a young family of three and a single woman), as well as by the arrival of a member from our sister church in France (with whom we had been in contact two years before when he was studying in Trois-Rivières, Quebec). A sign of the further organization was choosing a name: Église Évangélique Luthérienne de la Sainte-Trinité and becoming a Recognized District Mission. Part of the formative process is the decision to not presently request any funding from District mission funds.

Since September 2010, the mission has developed in two more ways: one was the move to the Université Laval chapel, not only a switch from the library reading room venue in Old Quebec to a more churchly worship space, but also the creation of a visible Lutheran presence for the student population. The free-of-charge and regular availability of the new venue permitted the addition of another worship service per month (second and fourth Sundays). Those services plus the monthly Lutheran service led by the military chaplain at nearby Valcartier army base chapel allow for three services per month for the Lutherans of Quebec City. It must be said though that all does not unfold neatly in reality and the mission is fragile. In just a three month period, three scheduled services were canceled for various reasons. We do not know how long a LCC military chaplain will be in nearby Valcartier, nor how long we will have use of the university chapel but are certain of a space until at least summer 2012.

The mission has grown slowly—if not always surely—at a rapidity not seen in the early years of Lutheran francophone missions.

Nonetheless, in the past year the mission has grown slowly—if not always surely—at a rapidity not seen in the early years of Lutheran francophone missions. In June 2011, just when a 5-member family was being transferred away, news was received of the pending arrival of a retired Lutheran couple moving to Quebec City, in large part to support the mission. By November, they had arrived. A contact who had periodically attended services in Montreal but was making the transition to Quebec City, came seeking information about the mission. Then, in January 2012, a Malagasy Reformed couple who had become faithful communicants at l’Église Luthérienne de l’Ascension (Montreal, Quebec) announced their move that month to Quebec City.

Meanwhile, after a long process, we were allowed to put up posters at the university, publicly announcing the Lutheran presence there—a first step for campus outreach. Communication is done by email via the MAL in Montreal, and all services and activities and developments are announced as they come up. This is not only cost-efficient, but also practical, since many of the members are regularly out-of-town. Hopefully, a monthly Bible study will be started and perhaps even another service. A generous LWML-C new-mission-project grant in January 2012 will help the continuance of outreach in Quebec City.

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Rev. Dr. David H. Somers is a Missionary-at-large in Montreal, Quebec.

Geoff Bellew

WATERLOO, Ont. – Geoff Bellew has been elected as Board Chair, replacing Wayne Musselman who served in that capacity from 2009 to 2012. Mr. Bellew has served on the Board since 2006 as Vice-Chair and he has extensive business and community experience.

Geoff Bellew is a business executive with over 40 years’ experience in the financial services, technology and consulting services industries. He has extensive business skills at senior executive levels and has served in a senior executive capacity with Scotiabank, Manulife, ING, Aegon, and Dspfactory. He also served as President and CEO at Southbridge, a Waterloo Region-based investment management firm, guiding the assets of the Bridgeway Foundation.

Geoff is an active community volunteer. He has served as a Board member on many not-for-profit and faith-based organizations including Habitat for Humanity Canada, and presently serves on the Boards of Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, Waterloo Public Library, Lutheran Homes Kitchener Waterloo (Trinity Village) and Grand River Hospital. In business and in the community, Geoff has established himself as a passionate, trustworthy and responsible collaborator.

FaithLife Financial is a Christian, not-for-profit, member-based financial services organization that provides insurance and investment solutions to more than 33,000 members in Canada. It administers assets of $644 million and has over $2.4 billion of in-force insurance as of December 31, 2011. The organization reinvests a portion of its earnings in programs that support members, their congregations and communities, as well as people in need worldwide. Its mission is to help Canadian Christians protect their financial future, live their Christian values and build a better world. For more information, visit FaithLife Financial’s website, visit them on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

by Mathew Block

“We can see that our lives have changed significantly; they are better than they were before. And so our people say thank you.”

These were the words which greeted participants of Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s (CLWR) “Global Encounter” program at a small village named Chipape in Mozambique. CLWR—through its national partner, the Lutheran World Federation in Mozambique—had helped construct new latrines here and built a well. They had educated the people on the dangers of drinking contaminated water and helped improve the general health of the village. The residents of Chipape were eager to express just how thankful they were for the work CLWR has done in their community.

Their message of thanks was a recurring theme in the villages we visited throughout Mozambique. Whether it was teaching the people better agricultural practices, building infrastructure, or helping them organize themselves to more effectively look after the needs of their own communities, the reaction was always the same: you have changed our lives, and for the better.

Not that social ministry replaces Gospel proclamation. Far from it. While many of the villages we visited had large Christian populations, the spectre of traditional religious beliefs hung heavy—visibly demonstrated by the brightly coloured flags overhanging the homes of local shamans. In fact, one of the Mozambican villages we visited decided to greet us with entertainment which included dances by the local shaman—a palpable symbol of the continuing need for evangelism ministry.

We were fortuitous enough while in Mozambique to meet up with a group involved with exactly that type of ministry. The Kappaseni Project—a ministry with Lutheran Church–Canada connections—has a dual focus on evangelism and social ministry. Two of its members joined us for a few days while we visited villages in northern Mozambique. They explained to us how traditional religion continues to hold destructive sway over large segments of the population. One particularly devastating problem they face in their work is opposing “purity rituals.” In such rituals, recently widowed women are pressured to have sex with their deceased husband’s brother (or some other willing participant) three times a day, for seven days. During these periods of ritual sex, groups of people stand guard around the home. Failure to take part in such rituals, widows are told, invites oppression from the spiritual realm, and could even result in the death of family members. And these purity rituals don’t just occur at the death of a husband. Any major life event can qualify—including rebuilding after a fire destroys a home.

While there is obvious spiritual evil at work in such rituals, they have negative physical consequences as well. Beyond the psychological damage it causes the women involved, it also contributes to the spread of AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases. Much of the Kappaseni Project’s social ministry involves preventative education on AIDs, caring for AIDs orphans, and tending to the needs of those who have already contracted the disease.

Loving our neighbours

It’s difficult work, to be sure. But it’s also exactly the type of work Christ tells us his followers will do: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me…. Truly, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did to me.’” (Matthew 25:34-36, 40 ESV).

James says something similar when he exhorts us thus: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). In fact, Christ says that the second greatest commandment (after loving God) is loving our neighbour (Mark 12:28-34). And, as our Confessions explicate the fifth and seventh commandments, we are to “help and befriend” our neighbour “in every bodily need,” and further to “help him to improve and protect his property and business that his means are preserved and his condition is improved.”

Just as Christ took pity on the countless sick, the mourning, the poor, and the hungry, we too are called to show compassion to those less fortunate than us, and to share with them the blessings God has bestowed upon us. Indeed, it’s in acknowledging how good He has been to us that we find the impetus to love our neighbour. God first loved us—without our ever deserving it. That selfless love inspires us by the Holy Spirit to love others. As Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel (Lutheran Church–Canada’s executive for missions and social outreach) explains, “Once we believe in Jesus Christ, we want to pass on His love in word and in deed.”

Through CLWR’s work in Africa, that’s exactly what many members of Lutheran Church–Canada are doing: sharing with neighbours a world away the blessings they have themselves received from God. Consider, for example, the Mozambican village of Mwanjete. Through CLWR’s support, this community has seen substantial growth, both in population and in standard of living. The community has tripled in size and become a model to other villages in the area. Some of this has come about because of material support—like the construction of a permanent market. But much of the change in the community’s situation has been the result of less tangible efforts, primary among these helping the village organize its own leadership. Today, Mwanjete has teams of leaders—both men and women—who look after specific areas of the village: agricultural, community development, health, and many more.

Lest we think this is simply bureaucracy without action, it’s helpful to recount one of the projects the community of Mwanjete is working on. During their presentations, the villagers explained to us that they were planning a new initiative to help orphans in their community, of which there are many following the deaths of a number of parents during an outbreak of infectious disease. After outlining the details of the work, the villagers estimated the cost would be several thousand dollars in Canadian currency—a fortune by their standards. But they did not ask for more money from CLWR to support the project; they explained that, through the agricultural knowledge they had learned from CLWR and the economic growth made possible by the market, they would raise the money themselves. The community would work together to look after its most vulnerable.

It is perhaps telling that this particular village has a much larger Christian population than some of the others in Mozambique visited by CLWR’s Global Encounter participants. A worker for the Lutheran World Federation in Mozambique explained that the villages which embrace Christianity are also the villages which take responsibility for their community’s well-being (rather than merely relying on outside support from relief agencies). Perhaps in knowing that they themselves have been blessed beyond measure by God through the death and resurrection of Christ, they understand that they ought to share their blessings with others. They come to realize, as Martin Luther teaches, God does not need their good works; but their neighbours do.

Keeping the Gospel central

While thanks for salvation may motivate Christians to care for and love others, that shouldn’t be the only role the Gospel plays. “In doing humanitarian work, we must do it in such a way that the world knows that the aid does not just fall from the sky or come out of our pockets,” Dr. Neitzel explains. “We must be clear that there is Someone who is the provider. And this Someone is the Creator who created us, sustains us, and gave His Son to die for us and save us.” Loving our neighbours means caring for them in both body and soul. And caring for the soul means proclaiming the Gospel.

We see a striking image of that joint physical/spiritual care when Christ heals a lame man. Christ sees the paralytic and, in compassion, forgives his sins. Then, to demonstrate his authority to forgive sin, he also heals the man’s broken body. “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He announces to the scoffers, “Rise, pick up your bed and go home” (Matthew 9:6). And the formerly lame man does just that. The story is a powerful reminder that the same Jesus who is capable of caring for people in their bodily needs is the same Jesus who forgives them of their sin.

As Christians, we too must care for people in both body and soul—caring for them in their physical needs, yes, but not stopping there. We need to share with them the Gospel, presenting the greatest gift of all, a gift that proves God loves them even when their earthly situation is difficult. Whether starvation or disease or abuse threaten, the fact that Christ died for them is Good News. And it’s news worth sharing—be it with neighbours here in Canada or with those far away in a little mountain village in Mozambique.

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Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran.

Photos: Paul Schultz (Board of Directors, LCC East District).

Rev. Aredo poses after his ordination with members of the Oromo congregation

At the Central District Convention of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), Rev. Assefa Nega Aredo was recognized and congratulated on his recent ordination. Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel—LCC’s Executive for Mission and Social Ministry, and director of the Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program—presented Rev. Aredo with an Amharic-language edition of the Book of Concord and an English-language edition of Martin Luther’s Sacristy Prayer. Rev. Aredo was ordained at a mixed English-Oromo language service April 15, 2012 at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Dr. Neitzel presents Rev. Aredo with an Amharic-language edition of the Book of Concord

Rev. Aredo is the first student to complete the PAT program—a process which took more than four years of study—, and so his graduation is particularly eventful. Following his ordination, Rev. Aredo continues to serve the Lutheran Oromo community in Winnipeg. Other students in the PAT program are members of congregations with cultural roots in Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

“For many years, we didn’t have a pastor,” explained Rev. Aredo. Having an Oromo-speaking pastor will make a significant difference in the faith-lives of the people, he said. He also spoke of the opportunity to be a witness to the wider community: “I’m looking forward to helping the church prepare for mission and outreach. We can reach out beyond the Oromo community and into the areas around us.”

As Canada’s ethnic diversity continues to increase, churches face new challenges in providing pastoral ministry to immigrant populations in a language and context they understand. Acknowledging this reality, LCC approved in 2002 the creation of the PAT program—a program designed to prepare candidates for culture-specific or site-specific pastoral ministry. PAT candidates remain in their particular cultural communities while studying, serving there while continuing their education through one-on-one instruction, online courses, and short-term class modules. Many, like Rev. Aredo, continue to work full-time while in the program.

“I am proud of Rev. Assefa Aredo. He has worked hard many years preparing to serve the Oromo community in Winnipeg,” said Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel. “I thank God for his commitment to the PAT program, to his congregation, and most especially to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He continued: “We are indeed pleased and grateful to the Lord for the way He leads His church in Canada in reaching out with His Gospel to the nations. Rev. Assefa’s missionary work will be of great blessing, especially to people coming from Ethiopia, Kenya and other parts of the Horn of Africa.”

Rev. Jonathan Fisk

The Central District of Lutheran Church–Canada is in the midst of its 2012 Convention, being held in Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan). On the evening of April 23, delegates and guests gathered at Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) for opening worship. Rev. John Kreutzwieser served as liturgist, while Revs. Randy Kleemola and Brad Julien served as lectors. President Robert Bugbee gave the sermon address.

The convention began in earnest the morning of April 24. Significant news of the day included the acclamation of Rev. Thomas Prachar as president of the district for a fifth term. Elected or acclaimed to serve as Vice-Presidents include Rev. Michael Keith for the Regina Region, Rev. James Vosper for the Saskatoon Region, Rev. David Haberstock for the Thunder Bay Region, Rev. Mark L. Smith for the Winnipeg Region, and Rev. Arron Gust for the Yorkton Region. Elected or acclaimed to serve as lay members on the Board of Directors include Wayne Gust for the Regina Region, Daryl Walter for the Saskatoon Reigion, Michael Maunula for the Thunder Bay Region, Eileen Turner for the Winnipeg Region, and Gloria Rathgeber for the Yorkton Region.

Guest speaker Rev. Jonathan Fisk of Worldview Everlasting fame presented the first part of his presentation entitled “Thy Word,” drawn from the convention theme: “Your Word… a Lamp and a Light (Psalm 119:105).” Videos of the presentations will be posted online at a later date.

For more news, visit the Convention website. Follow the conversation on Twitter: #cedico2012.

Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI) is inviting people across the globe to join them in a moment of prayer at 2:40 p.m. (14:40 on a 24-hour clock) on World Malaria Day—Wednesday, April 25, 2012—to remember the 1,440 Africans who die each day from malaria and to pray for all who suffer from malaria or will lose a child or other family member to the disease.

They offer the following as a potential prayer:

Lord God, our most merciful Father, in this fallen and sinful world death is the constant and impartial enemy of all. We humbly ask You to show mercy on all those who are suffering from malaria today. If it be Your will, restore the afflicted to full health. Surround them in their time of illness with Your love, especially the children who are weak and afraid, through the family and friends who minister to them. Comfort those who have already lost a loved one to malaria or will, especially the parents of young children, who in the minds of mothers and fathers are taken from this life too soon. We plead You to perform the miracle of ending this disease, in part through the education and relief efforts of the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. Grant that LMI’s educators, physicians, health-care providers and missionaries are powerfully and fully equipped to bring an end to the human suffering and death in Africa caused by malaria. And Lord, through the Gospel of Your Son Jesus, proclaimed through Word and Sacrament, strengthen our faith and lead others to see that a life in His grace leads only to an eternal existence in Your loving presence. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior. Amen.

Learn more about the Lutheran Malaria Initiative at www.lcms.org/lmi.

by Ian Adnams

With the speed of today’s news cycles the old adage ”out of sight; out of mind” is more relevant than ever. Yet just because news gathering organizations are no longer interested in a story doesn’t mean it goes away. This is often the case with natural disasters. A tornado decimates a neighbourhood or town; we see the damage and feel sympathy for those suffering. Then, within 24 hours, the situation is out of mind. Those who went through the tornado still have their lives to live and reclaim, but we don’t often see that part.

The situation is more profound with natural disasters overseas. The level of news coverage is directly proportional to how close the disaster occurs to major news gathering agencies and their crews. An earthquake in a remote part of Asia may kill thousands, yet we see nothing of it because it’s just too far to send a crew and reporter.

This was not the case in January 2010 when a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Haiti, about 1000 km off the coast of Florida. For weeks news reports kept North Americans up-to-date on emergency relief efforts, and the sometimes treacherous life in tent cities where hundreds of thousands of homeless survivors lived in squalid conditions. Hurricane rains and winds compounded an already desperate situation in a country where the political situation was as unstable as earthquake rubble.

The statistics from the earthquake staggered the mind: as many as 316,000 dead;1.5 million homeless; more than 600,000 injured. And those are just the “official” statistics. With the mass migration from the capital city Port-au-Prince following the quake, people now homeless became refugees taking shelter with family and friends in areas far from the epicentre.

The world community responded to the disaster with great generosity. Through the United Nations, pledges from governments exceeded $4.5 billion. In Canada, Lutherans provided Canadian Lutheran World Relief with $1.3 million to help with immediate needs and longer-term relief. The Haiti Lutheran Mission Society (HLMS), a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), used its connection with Lutheran Church Haiti (LCH) to help the Haitian church serve the needs of earthquake victims.

On the ground

Although located some 150 km from the earthquake, the headquarters for Lutheran Church Haiti in Gonaives, with assistance from HLMS, immediately responded to the needs of the displaced persons. With a $30,000 grant from CLWR, the mission society and LCH bought tents to house those who had fled the city. Howard Bogusat, who is responsible for gathering and shipping materials from Canada to Haiti reports: “LCH responded immediately, by organizing about ten relief aid trips from Gonaives to the stricken area (Port-au-Prince and neighbouring cities). To a large extent, these quick-response-trips that brought food, water, blankets and spiritual counsel and comfort were financed by HLMS’s quick response in sending funds to the LCH.”

At the same time, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, working through its partner organizations, used the funds it collected to provide emergency relief such as tents, water, food and medical aid. By the end of the crisis period, CLWR had forwarded about half of the donations received for emergency work leaving a significant portion for long term assistance.

As it surveyed its own congregations, LCH discovered 55 church buildings were damaged beyond repair. The church president, Rev. Revenel Benoit asked HLMS if it could help raise funds for rebuilding. The result saw congregations in Lutheran Church–Canada’s East District provide funds to rebuild 45 churches. In addition, construction teams travelled to Haiti for hands-on participation in the building projects.

Canadian Lutheran World Relief, working through ACT Alliance, an international consortium of Christian relief agencies, helped rebuild schools and provided school supplies. Lutheran congregations in Canada sponsored and gathered almost 2000 We Care kits for children who had lost everything in the earthquake and needed to continue their education. The kits contained notebooks, pencils with erasers, a ruler, pencil sharpener, eraser, crayons (or pencil crayons), a simple toy, a bar of soap, toothbrush and toothpaste. The same shipment included a hospital beds and wheelchairs to help resupply Haiti’s damaged medical facilities.

As is often the case, a natural disaster exposes and compounds existing problems. It also opens doors for longer term engagement addressing both spiritual and physical needs.

Despite relief efforts and funding, Haiti is still recovering. In a January 2012 report, CBC noted that more than 500,000 people still live in tents, densely packed together in communities where disease easily finds a stronghold.

Caring for body and mind

It wasn’t long after the earthquake that a new menace threatened Haiti. Cholera, a water-born, often fatal disease spread quickly due to the overall unsanitary conditions especially in the tent camps, made worse with heavy rains.

HLMS responded by sending $25,000 for medical aid for the treatment of more than 6000 persons. In a report to its supporters the society noted, “The people did not know how they got cholera. But they were educated about cleanliness, latrines, clean drinking water through Lutheran Church Haiti TV and radio stations. Now, over 11,000 people have learned how to prevent cholera.”

Cholera killed some 2000 people and highlighted the long-term need for water purification. HLMS is currently supporting an effort to provide Haiti with “biosand” water filters developed in Alberta. The treatment takes water from almost any water source, filters out the impurities, including parasites, spores, viruses, eggs, worms, and bacteria, making it completely drinkable. A $2000 grant from HLMS provided training for two men who, in a pilot project, will construct five filters and train workers to maintain them at schools. “We hope that this is just the beginning of expanding this project,” noted Mr. Bogusat.

The relationship between HLMS and Canadian Lutheran World Relief triggered by the earthquake could lead to a project that would bring long-term relief to the more than 1 million displaced persons in Haiti. The two organizations are discussing a vocational training project that could extend to 2015.

Using the balance of the $1.3 million donated by concerned Canadians and working with Canadian International Development Agency, the project focuses on “youth professionalization and promotion of micro-business activities among young Haitians through vocational training towards environmentally-responsible livelihoods.” Unemployment is extremely high in Haiti. More than two-thirds of the labour force has no formal employment. So by providing these kinds of skills, the project can help lay the foundation for a brighter future.

Caring for souls

The social ministry carried out by the LCH and the other confessional Lutheran church body in Haiti, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Haiti, supported by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), was always married to Gospel proclamation. The result is new believers, new congregations and a continuing thirst for the God’s Word. These developments resulting from post-earthquake assistance exposed the glaring need for more pastors.

In February 2012, the presidents of both Haitian Lutheran church bodies met with LCC president, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee and Rev. Dr. Albert Collver III, director of Church Relations and assistant to the president of the LCMS. By working to train pastors together, confessional Lutherans in Haiti can pool teaching resources to more effectively proclaim the Gospel in their land.

The theological training model proposed is based on the success of LCC’s seminary training in Nicaragua, Ukraine and Thailand where professors travel to the country to teach courses in day-long classes for up to two weeks.

Haiti still faces challenges. Some existed before the earthquake; others came as a result. These challenges open doors for the proclamation of the Gospel and present opportunities for service in the name of Christ.

——————–

Ian Adnams is former editor of The Canadian Lutheran.

by Thomas Prachar

At its February meeting, the Central District Board of Directors voted to move the district office from its present location in Regina to vacant space at the Lutheran Church–Canada office in Winnipeg. The board’s previous December meeting had authorized staff to investigate the ramifications of such a move.

The need for a move has become more urgent in recent years as the present house-office location has continued to deteriorate. Cracks in ceilings and walls are more evident as the foundation has shifted in the south Regina clay. Water seepage has also become a problem.

Alternatives were first sought in Regina and area. Leasing or purchasing a building proved difficult since Regina’s office vacancy rate is less than one percent. Building a modest addition to an LCC congregation in Regina meant building costs of more than $400 per square foot, resulting in an expenditure of well over $500,000. In addition to office space, the district archives need to be housed. Using the facilities of an existing church or empty parsonage outside Regina would not provide for long-term stability and easy access for board members and the airport.

That left the option of moving into vacant office space at the synodical office in Winnipeg. According to the district’s legal counsel, there are no impediments to moving the office. As well, the Financial Services Commission of Saskatchewan has given approval to moving the Church Extension Fund—it would simply continue to operate by the same regulations. Lutheran Church–Canada would take over all accounting responsibilities for the district, as well as provide an administrative assistant to the district president, resulting in financial savings of more than $60,000 annually. Assuming congregations continue to contribute approximately $800,000 a year, the district would see a balanced budget for 2013 and 2014, with more money going to both district and synod missions. The office would be more “central” to the rest of the district. Staff could be retained and hired more easily given the larger synodical office staff, which would provide an easier means of covering for vacation and sickness. The district would retain its identity through its own telephone line, email address and website.

On the negative side, travel costs may increase as two-thirds of the district’s congregations are in Saskatchewan. If the office remains at its present location, an estimated $100,000 would be needed to renovate. While the archives can be moved into the synod office, it may be more effective to find space in a local Winnipeg congregation. The district would have to appoint another archivist as the current archivist, Maxine Holm, would not relocate to Winnipeg.

Sale of the present property will more than pay moving costs for the office and president, as well as severance for the current administrative assistant, Maureen Wiskar, who is not expected to make the move to Winnipeg.

No exact date has been set for the move, but tentative plans are to have the office relocated by the end of 2012 or early 2013.

At its February meeting, the Central District Board of Directors also approved a budget with an operating deficit of $158,779 for 2012. This includes office relocation costs that will eventually be realized in the following year’s budget through the sale of the district office property.

The board appointed Rev. Harold Borchardt, Gerald Greinke, Gloria Rathgeber, and Amanda Knodel to the District Reconciliation Committee.

——————–

Rev. Thomas Prachar is President of the Central District of Lutheran Church–Canada.

by Mark Dressler

One of my favourite “post-Easter” depictions is a painting of the resurrected Christ and the disciple Thomas. It is a wonderful work of art called “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” by the Italian artist Caravaggio.

The painting portrays the Easter encounter of Jesus and Thomas. It is the second time Jesus has appeared to His disciples in the upper room. Thomas was missing the first time, and by the time he showed up Jesus was gone. To Thomas the story of the Lord’s resurrection seemed too good to be true. As a result, this disciple will forever be remembered for uttering those famous words, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25 ESV).

But Jesus comes back, and this time He confronts Thomas and his doubts. That confrontation is the moment Caravaggio captures so well in this painting. We know Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side,” but we don’t know if Thomas actually took Jesus up on His offer. Caravaggio takes some artistic liberty and assumes he did.

In fact, if you examine the painting closely, you see that Thomas didn’t really have a choice. Jesus is actually grasping Thomas by the wrist and forcing the disciple’s finger deep into the gaping wound of His pierced side.

If you had to sum this painting up in just a few words, the best words to use would be “shock and awe.” Shock and awe are evident on the furrowed forehead of Thomas, and shock and awe are felt by us, the viewers. We almost feel we shouldn’t be seeing this. It’s like a bad accident scene; you want to look away, but you just can’t. Shock and awe.

We forget just how strange and unique this event is: Christ defeated death! He has risen from the dead!

Do we let the Easter message become so common to us Christians that we fail to celebrate this season with the same shock and awe of those first disciples? We sometimes hear about the resurrection of our Lord with the same level of emotion as when we hear the evening weather report. We forget just how strange and unique this event is: Christ defeated death! He has risen from the dead! Death no longer has dominion over you!

And just as surely as Christ confronted Thomas and his sin, so too does He confront you. Confronts you, and then forgives you with Word and Sacrament—because the very same body in which Thomas inserted his finger now waits for you in the Sacrament of the Altar. The body and blood of Christ given to forgive you of all your sins and to strengthen your faith against all doubts.

Dear beloved in Christ, as you walk these seven weeks of the Easter season, may you be reminded of miraculous resurrection of your Lord. May you be dumbfounded that He died and rose again for you. May this Easter season thrust upon you a little shock and awe.

——————–

Mark Dressler is Third Vice-President of Lutheran Church-Canada and pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan).

“He is not here. He is risen!” This is the Good News of Easter: Jesus Christ died, but He did not stay dead. He bore our sins, suffered the punishment we deserved, and three days after He was laid in the tomb, God raised Him from the dead. As He lives now, we too shall live!

This is the Gospel we believe and proclaim every day as Christians, but especially so in the season of Easter. It’s a season lasting seven weeks on the Church calendar, culminating with the ascension of Christ to the Father and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is a season for joy and for celebration.

It is also a season for evangelism. Not everyone has heard the Good News of Christ. Of those who have heard, many have not yet believed. As we reflect on our own salvation, we cannot help but remember God’s call to bring the Gospel to “all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19). When we read “all nations,” it’s easy to imagine the phrase solely as a call to missions abroad—in places like Africa and Asia. But more and more these days, we are reminded how great the need for evangelism in our own country has become. The reality is that Canada is no longer (if it ever was) a Christian nation.

Not only has worship attendance across the country plummeted, revealing a general disregard for the command to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, even basic Christian morality has begun to evaporate. A recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Ontario decriminalized brothels, and rather than Canadians protesting the decision, most people actually seem to approve. An Ipsos Reid poll reports a full 2/3 of Canadians support the legalization of brothels—a shocking statistic given that more than 70 percent of the population claims to be Christian. But, in light of another statistic, perhaps it’s not all that surprising: less than a third of Canadians today consider religion “very important” in their lives.

Canada has become a secular nation. Not so overtly as has much of Europe, perhaps, but certainly more so than the United States of America. For many, faith is no different than ethnicity. “I’m Christian because my grandparents were” is suddenly the same as “I’m German because my grandparents came from there.” We are living in post-Christian times.

We are living in post-Christian times.

Given the general disinterest or even outright resistance in Canada to the Christian message, some people wonder how we’re supposed to make the connection. St. Paul asks how people can believe if they don’t hear the message (Romans 10:14). We might well ask how they will hear if they won’t listen. The fact is, people don’t always seem very interested in what we have to say.

But there are ways of catching their attention: and perhaps no way is more attention-grabbing in a society as self-centered as ours than to live lives of service and love for others. That’s precisely what happened recently in Texas. Patrick Greene, a man known for his involvement in atheist activism, recently threatened to sue Henderson County, Texas over its Nativity display. But he suddenly developed eyesight problems and was forced to not only renege his threat to sue, he also had to quit his job. With no income, things looked bleak. Until, that is, a local Henderson County church began raising money to help Green and his wife purchase groceries and pay rent.

“I thought I was in the Twilight Zone,” he told The Christian Post. “These people are acting like what the Bible says a Christian does.” He saw genuine concern for his well-being, despite his opposition to Christianity. And so he turned to the Scriptures, eager to find what could motivate such selfless love. There, by the grace of God, he found Christ.

Let’s be clear: acts of love didn’t convert the man. But they did drive him to the Word of God, the very tool the Holy Spirit uses to engender faith. The good works of Christians pointed him back to the God who motivates good works.

The good works of Christians point back to the God who motivates good works.

Some Christian groups have lost sight of the importance of connecting acts of love with Gospel proclamation. Proclaiming a “social Gospel,” they teach that God wants us to love and help others in their physical needs—but then they fail to address their spiritual needs, never explaining the story of the Saviour who loves all people and died for them, who forgives their sins and opens heaven to them. They forget that social ministry can and should be intrinsically connected with evangelism.

Indeed, Christ tells us to do good works for this very reason: “Let your light shine before others,” He says, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Likewise, St. Peter writes: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). The way we live in the world around us correlates directly to how people react to our message.

In this issue of The Canadian Lutheran, we explore how Lutheran Church–Canada members are acting in love for others. Along the way, we see how that love opens the doors to the message of Christ—whether it’s the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel in a small African village or seeing the growth of Christianity in places like Haiti.

We thank God for His undeserved mercy to us; and in turn, we share what we have received from Him with others. It’s Gospel-motivated love. And that love, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can in its turn open hearts to hear the Gospel.

——————–

Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran magazine.

David Friesen

It is with great pleasure Lutheran Foundation Canada (LFC) announces David Friesen of Winnipeg has been hired as the new Gift Coordinator for the Central District, effective April 16, 2012. As a life-long Lutheran, Mr. Friesen is presently a member of St. James Lutheran Church (Winnipeg), where he attends with his wife of 27 years, and his three children, two boys and a girl, age 20, 17, and 15 respectively. He has many years experience in sales, marketing, and presenting seminars on complex issues to varied audiences, both in person and by webinar.

“His skills will be a great asset to the Foundation and to the Central District in particular,” said LFC Executive Director Allen Schellenberg. “I ask that you remember David and his family in your prayers, as he looks forward to working with LFC and the Central District, starting down this new path which he strongly feels God has placed before him.”

Lutheran Foundation Canada encourages lifetime and testamentary gifts from LCC’s congregational membership in support of the organizations for which they have a passion—congregations, auxiliaries, LSOs, schools, and seminaries. Congregations can host a “Christian Wills and Estate Planning Seminar” for an overview of comprehensive estate planning, including issues such as powers of attorney, health care directives, wills, funeral planning, executor issues, asset transfer, and planned giving. Call Allen Schellenberg at 1-877-711-4438 to book a session.

Assefa Aredo

WINNIPEG - Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) is excited to announce the upcoming ordination of the first graduate from its Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program. Assefa Nega Aredo will be awarded his theological diploma at a mixed English-Oromo language service at Winnipeg’s Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (59 Academy Road) on Sunday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m.

As Canada’s ethnic diversity continues to increase, churches face new challenges in providing pastoral ministry to immigrant populations in a language and context they understand. Acknowledging this reality, LCC approved in 2002 the creation of the PAT program—a program designed to prepare candidates for culture-specific or site-specific pastoral ministry. PAT candidates remain in their particular cultural communities while studying, serving there while continuing their education through one-on-one instruction, online courses, and short-term class modules. Many continue to work full-time while in the program.

Assefa Aredo is the first student to complete the PAT program, and so his graduation is particularly eventful. Following his ordination, Mr. Aredo will continue to serve the Lutheran Oromo community in Winnipeg. Other students in the PAT program are members of congregations with cultural roots in Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

“I am proud of Assefa Aredo. He has worked hard many years preparing to serve the Oromo community in Winnipeg,” said Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel, LCC’s Executive for Mission and Social Ministry, and PAT program coordinator. “I thank God for his commitment to the PAT program, to his congregation, and most especially to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Neitzel continued: “We are indeed pleased and grateful to the Lord for the way He leads His church in Canada in reaching out with His Gospel to the nations. Assefa’s missionary work will be of great blessing, especially to people coming from Ethiopia, Kenya and other parts of the Horn of Africa.”

While the ordination service April 15 begins at 2:00 p.m., English speakers may wish to join at 2:30 p.m. (as much of the early part of the service will be completely in Oromo). Following the ordination, a meal will be served at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (600 Minto Street).

Adam Mellecke teaches an English class in Nicaragua.

by Liz Mellecke

Last May I found a page on Lutheran Church–Canada’s website about a short term ESL mission opportunity in Nicaragua. As I was interested, I contacted the office with a little overview of who I am.

I had been to Nicaragua twice before. First, on the 2008 Lutheran Womens Missionary League-Canada (LWML-C) “Women to Women” trip to inform and connect Nicaraguan women with the Canadian women who have been supporting and praying for their faith community. We traveled around the country to many congregations and shared a presentation about LWML-C and women’s issues. Next, my son and I went on a group mission in 2010 with members from across Southern Ontario, led by Rev. John Trembulak III of Dashwood. We painted the mission building and education centre at Rancheria and shared crafts in the Santa Patricia mission. These mission trips brought the people of Nicaragua closer to our hearts. So, when I read about the ESL opportunity, I felt called to return.

But who was I? I have been a stay-at-home mother all my adult life. I took an online course from Concordia University College in Alberta but never completed university. I home-schooled my son for three years. But could I teach English as a foreign language?

After a number of discussions, I and my 19 year old son Adam were accepted to teach in Nicaragua. Now we are three weeks in and we feel so blessed. The people at the mission centre have become our family. We have daily devotions during the week with the staff and go to one class in the morning and one class in the afternoon, teaching English to as many as 34 students at a time.

We are teaching six days a week, Monday to Saturday. Why such long weeks? As our schedule was being prepared, pastors come forward to ask if we would teach at their churches. We offered to add Saturday to our schedule so we could fit in all the classes we could in the Chinandega area.

Adam teaches the advanced English class, while I teach the beginner’s. Adam uses Bible stories to teach vocabulary, and I will soon be doing the same with my class, though in a simplified format.

It doesn’t feel like a chore or job when we are working here. We just share ourselves and the Scripture stories as we teach. The purchase of 20 dictionaries has been a great blessing in our work, given the meager preparation time and resources available. We pray that our lessons will bring us where we need to be in that moment and for future moments. We started with many, many students and then as interest waned or ability caused them to not be able to continue, we dwindled down to a core group that have a real desire to learn.

There is nothing like having a student tap you on the arm to make sure you say “goodbye” specifically to them at the end of the lesson. We are building relationships with each other and with the Lord and we feel blessed. We may have not known how this mission would affect us but after three weeks, we feel blessed by the people we met. Imagine our blessings when we return home after three months!

——————–

Liz Mellecke is a member of Grace Lutheran Church (Kincardine, Ontario).

For more information on LCC’s missions and how to get involved, visit www.lutheranchurch.ca/mission.php.

President Bugbee teaching on violence in the Old Testament.

On the evening of Palm Sunday, 105 people from Winnipeg-area Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) congregations met at Peace Lutheran Church to mark completion of six months in their two-year effort to read through the entire Scripture. Last fall, 150 participants committed to this spiritual discipline. Reports indicate that nearly all of them are remaining faithful to this daily habit, even though some were prevented from attending the Palm Sunday meeting.

The evening gathering was planned as an encouragement to participants, and to review the ground covered so far. Young-adult members of Peace Lutheran Church provided special music for the occasion, and a narrator traced the story of God’s mercies from creation through to the days of King Saul, which is roughly the place readers had reached by late March.

LCC President Robert Bugbee spent time grappling with a recurring question among the Bible readers—namely, why so much bloodshed and violence seems to mark the Old Testament record up to this point. In addition, the President provided a brief study on the Palm Sunday epistle (Philippians 2:5-11) to demonstrate how details of the Lord’s humiliation and exaltation can help shape the mind of Christ among His people, especially when tensions, jealousy, and other difficulties arise in a congregation or Christian family.

Many participants in the Winnipeg Bible reading effort have purchased copies of Today’s Light Bible from Concordia Publishing House, which includes a two-year table of daily readings. Others utilize the same reading schedule and apply it to Bibles they already own. Winnipeg-area pastors have been encouraging their members in the effort, and a number of parish-based Bible classes and Bible-reading groups have come into being in the six months since the project began.

“I told the participants quite frankly,” relates President Bugbee, “that I’m not encouraging them merely to read Scripture once through to earn some sort of ‘merit badge’ or to be able to boast later that they did this a single time in the past. I’m urging them to keep reading and reading for the rest of their lives. The Lord will use a stronger Biblical literacy among our people to deepen their sense of stewardship, to create an outreach heart and mind in our local churches, to help us overcome conflict when it arises, and to equip believers to cope with the ongoing spiritual decay in Canada.”

If other circuits and/or regions in LCC wish to implement this approach in their part of the country, they are encourage to contact Iris Barta (pres_sec@lutheranchurch.ca) at the LCC national office in Winnipeg.

CANMORE, Alta. – Members of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) and Lutheran Core in Canada are inviting interested pastors and people to a “Canadian Rockies Theological Conference,” set for April 16-19, 2012 in Canmore, Alberta. The conference theme this spring is The Orders of Creation. Presenters include Dr. Nathan Yoder and Dr. James Nestingen, the latter of whom has served as a guest presenter at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton) in the past.

“This conference could provide a welcome chance for LCC pastors, deacons and lay leaders to spend some of their Easter season hearing presentations that address very relevant subjects for our time,” noted Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Robert Bugbee. “As you may know, recent months have brought encouraging contacts between LCC and the NALC in Canada, and we appreciate the Biblical commitment of the conference organizers. To be sure, there are matters of concern among confessional Lutherans in this country that still require much study, prayer and frank discussion, but it’s a glad blessing to be able to have such discussion with those have struggled to uphold God’s holy Word. I hope that a number of our people—particularly those in the area around Canmore—will be able to attend.”

Further information may be obtained from visiting the “Canadian Rockies Theological Conference” page on Facebook, or by contacting Pastor Philip Gagnon of St. Albert, Alberta (pastorphil@me.com). Click here to download the conference registration form.

Gabriel Miandica, President Bugbee, and Deacon Jambo

MOZAMBIQUE – During his recent trip to Africa, President Robert Bugbee met with members of a Mozambican ministry with Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) connections—the Kapasseni Project, a ministry which grew out of mission efforts by retired LCC pastor Rev. Joseph Alfazema and his wife Perpetua.

President Bugbee was in Mozambique for Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s (CLWR) “Global Encounter” program. While he could not visit Sena, where the Kapasseni ministry is headquartered, Manuel Gabriel Miandica (Kuwangisana Country Director) and Deacon Manuel Joni Jambo (Preaching Missionary) were able to join the CLWR group for a few days.

During that time, they reported the fruits of their work in the Sena district. Preaching ministry now takes place in eleven villages. The main congregation in Sena now counts 300 adults at Sunday worship, with children bringing the number nearer to 500. The Kapasseni Project is also heavily involved in caring for the physical needs of people. They operate a project called Kuwangisana, which means “For the better health and well being of all” in the Sena language. Through this work, they provide HIV prevention education, support orphans and vulnerable children, and provide home-based care for critically ill people living with HIV and AIDS.

President Bugbee expressed gratitude for the opportunity “to spend hours in the car together with these mission friends of our as we traveled to far-flung villages each day” in Mozambique. “They were able to explain in detail,” he went on to say, “just how traditional beliefs and practices have contributed to the tragedy of AIDS, and how the proclamation of Christ’s Gospel goes hand-hand with acts of mercy in changing people’s lives.”

The Kapesseni project was founded by Rev. Alfazema and his wife Perpetua, who first came to Canada in the 1980s to escape civil war in Mozambique. When the war ended, they returned to Rev. Alfazema’s home village of Kapasseni only to discover the area in ruins. HIV/AIDS was rampant and medical treatment scarce. Schools, churches, and hospitals had been closed during the war.

Upon returning to Canada, they began working with Redeemer Lutheran Church (Victoria, B.C.) to find ways to address the needs of people in Kapasseni. Eventually, Rev. Alfazema began studies at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario) to become a pastor, and Perpetua pursued studies in social work. In 2006, they moved to Mozambique to serve there full-time, with Rev. Alfazema focusing on Gospel-proclamation and Perpetua on Kuwangisana social ministry. Perpetua continues to work on the project, but they have since returned to Canada following Rev. Alfazema’s retirement. The work they began in Mozambique continues to thrive.

“I can only thank God for the ministry of Rev. Joseph Alfazema and his wife Perpetua,” said President Bugbee. “They planted wonderful seeds in that region of Mozambique which are now blessing people in body and soul.”

For more information on the Kapasseni Project and its Canadian connection, visit www.kapasseni.org. More information on the Kuwangisana effort is available at www.kuwangisana.webs.com.

EDMONTON -

With fifteen sets of hands and 270 different instruments, Jubiloso! Bells of Concordia offers an amazing experience for the eyes and ears. An Edmonton community-based, auditioned ensemble, Jubiloso! performs on the largest set of handbells and handchimes in Canada—more than six octaves of handbells and handchimes. Directed by Debbie Rice, Jubiloso! will perform an April 21 concert at 7:30 p.m. entitled “Making beautiful music… storms to sunshine… laughter to love…” They will be joined by CUCA’s student handbell group the Concordia Ringers, and will perform music  from a variety of genres including African, musical theatre, classical/popular crossover, and bluegrass.

The Concordia Symphony Orchestra will hold its final concert of the season April 29 at 2:00 p.m. The performance will highlight the two main instrumental groups of the orchestra and conductors from within those two groups. Dr. Blyth Nuttall will conduct the strings with Edward Elgar’s Serenade, and Dr. Angela Schroeder will conduct Richard Strauss’ Suite in B flat for brass and winds. The orchestra will join forces on Mussorgsky’s imaginative and novel Pictures at an Exhibition under the leadership of Dr. Schroeder

Concordia Concert Choir will perform a cappella choral music from around the world under the theme, “Praise the Lord, all you nations” (Psalm 117) May 4 at 7:30 p.m. The concert concludes their spring Saskatchewan tour and includes music from Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, England, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, the Philippines, Sweden, and the United States of America. The music encompasses a wide range of styles from Renaissance polyphony to traditional spirituals and indigenous dance music. The choir is directed by Dr. John Hooper, who returns to conducting the choir after a three-year hiatus.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. They can be purchased at Tix on the Square (online or at 780-420-1757), at Concordia Student Accounts, or at the door. For more information, phone 780-479-9313.

Bishop Harvey and President Bugbee

WINNIPEG - On March 12, 2012 President Robert Bugbee of Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) welcomed Bishop Donald Harvey to LCC’s office for a morning of informal discussions on the relationship between biblical Anglicans and Lutherans in Canada. Bishop Harvey is Moderator of the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC) and a bishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), a group which broke away from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Episcopal Church – USA over questions of biblical authority, including most visibly the subject of homosexuality.

“One of the remarkable results of the formation of ACNA was the number of dialogues and discussions we were invited to join because others recognized our biblical faithfulness,” said Bishop Harvey. “The inspiring morning I spent with President Bugbee and his staff in Winnipeg is, I feel, the start of a long and lasting relationship as we share ways whereby together we can ‘know Christ and make Him known’ throughout our country.”

The ACNA is in full communion with a number of Anglican churches around the world. At the same time as it functions as a diocese of the ACNA, the ANiC remains under the jurisdiction of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, a recognized member of the worldwide Anglican Communion.            

Bishop Harvey formerly served as bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) from 1993 until his retirement in 2004. In 2007, Bishop Harvey relinquished his license in the ACC and was appointed a bishop of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. He resumed full-time duties, providing episcopal oversight to Canadian Anglican churches disaffected by the increasing liberalization of ACC theology.

“I am grateful to God that there are Anglican clergy and people in Canada like Bishop Harvey and ANiC who take a high view of the authority of Holy Scripture, including a commitment to the Church’s historic teaching on marriage,” President Bugbee said. LCC has recently engaged in theological discussion with ACNA, in conjunction with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. To date, three dialogues have taken place with a fourth scheduled for this spring at Nashota House, an Anglican seminary in Wisconsin.

Friendly relationships between LCC and ANiC have begun to develop at a grass roots level as well. Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Vancouver, for example, welcomed disaffected Anglican congregation St. Matthias and St. Luke’s Church to share its facility after the congregation lost its property to the ACC.

Bishop Harvey thanked Bethlehem Lutheran for their generosity and hospitality, suggesting that the mutual congeniality between LCC and ANiC “comes from the discovery that our faith is built upon the same basic principles.”

Rev. Dr. Bill Anderson

Rev. Dr. Bill Anderson, Director of the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith (CCSCF), invites members of Lutheran Church–Canada to attend the centre’s first annual conference May 3-4, 2012 at Concordia University College of Alberta (Edmonton). The conference’s theme is “The Humanities and the Christian Faith.”

Dr. Anderson explained the importance of the CCSCF in this way. “We are excited about sharing the insights that come out of our various disciplines and how they— to quote our mission statement—‘illuminate the relationship between the Christian Faith, academic learning and the contemporary world.’”

“Our conviction is that the Christian Faith is alive and well,” he continued. “We still think that the background of the Christian Faith has much to contribute to knowledge and learning in a university setting.”

Dr. David Lyle Jeffrey

The keynote speaker for the CCSCF’s first annual conference will be Dr. David Lyle Jeffrey. Dr. Jeffrey is Distinguished Professor of Literature and Humanities at Baylor University. His publications are numerous and include writing the widely acclaimed People of the Book and editing/co-authoring A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature. His book Christianity and Literature, coauthored with Dr. Gregory Maillet, was released by InterVarsity Press in 2011. For more information on Dr. Jeffrey, visit the extended biography on CCSCF’s website.

Scholars are welcome to submit papers for the upcoming conference from any of the following disciplines: English Literature, History, Languages, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. Papers should relate to the conference’s theme of the Humanities and the Christian Faith. Proposals should include an abstract close to 250 words outlining the topic related to the theme, method and purpose. The paper should be close to 2500 words. The presentation should last around 25 minutes with approximately five minutes for a question-answer period. Powerpoint, DVD and internet are available for the presentation. Scholars who want their original unpublished papers for the conference published in the Centre’s online journal must submit them for adjudication by June 1, 2012. Just go to the CCSCF’s website and fill out the online proposal form.

“We invite you to join our community of scholarship, [engaging] the public in an ongoing dialogue to understand our existence in the ever-increasingly complex world we live in,” Dr. Anderson said. “We welcome your contributions to our community of learning!”

For more information on the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith, visit the centre’s website.

Rev. Dr. Michael Nel

“Ministry as Curiosity” was the theme of a pilot-project retreat held March 5-7 at Edenvale Retreat Center near Aldergrove, B.C. The retreat, organized by the Committee for the Care of Church Workers and their Families (CCCWF), featured Dr. Michael Nel who encouraged participants to cultivate curiosity about the emotional systems that come into play as church workers engage in ministry and relate to their families. Dr. Nel led sessions on various aspects of Bowen systems theory which gave the fifteen participants from the Vancouver and Fraser Valley Circuits greater insights into the causes of excessive anxiety and burnout.

In a letter encouraging church workers of the circuits to participate in the retreat, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) President Robert Bugbee noted the importance of an awareness of the emotional dimensions of ministry: “To be sure, we understand that Bowen theory is not the Gospel (or the Law either, for that matter). However, it does point out some emotional processes that are at work as we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. These emotional processes are powerful. They can dramatically affect us and our work from within and without. Too often we ignore the emotional side of the work of God’s Kingdom at our peril.”

The CCCWF, whose origins date to the 2000 ABC District convention, has adopted Bowen Systems Theory as a way of being proactive and preventative rather than reactive in the care of church workers. Rev. David Hildermann, consultant to the committee, says: “What I love about Bowen systems theory is that it gets us out of the trap of obsessing over methodology or adding on another program, but instead, gives church workers an understanding of something that will help them decide how to manage themselves.”

The retreat was planned as a pilot project to evaluate it as a model for other retreats across LCC. Chair of the committee, Rev. Harry Haberstock says, “The challenge set before our committee is how to address church worker care for Lutheran Church–Canada on a very limited budget. The committee was very happy with the feedback that was received on this pilot project as a model for future retreats.” One participant shared, “This was a very beneficial event, not only for personal and family growth, but also for professional help in the parish.” Another stated, “It was the most beneficial session I have attended as a pastor’s wife.”

While the retreat was a pilot project initiated by the CCCWF, it also became an opportunity for cooperation with a taskforce of the ABC District. The Taskforce for Church Worker, Spouse and Family Care approached the CCCWF about having pastor’s wives invited to the retreat. As a result several wives were able to attend, and together with their husbands, grow in understanding emotional health.

Due to the success of the pilot project, future regional retreats are being planned. Edmonton will be the site for the next retreat in the fall of 2012. In 2013 the retreat will shift to the East District, and the Central District in 2014. The Committee will be looking for circuits willing to host future retreats. Congregations and circuits who are interested may contact chairman Rev. Harry Haberstock (hhaber@shaw.ca).

President Kay Kreklau (LWML ) and President Judy Grande (LWML-C)

On March 14-15 four of the officers and a counsellor of LWML–Canada (LWML–C) met in Winnipeg with three officers of LWML (U.S.) to share information and ideas. On the second day additional officers and counsellors of LWML were able to participate in the discussion via the online program WebEx. This joint meeting was planned in conjunction with a regularly scheduled LWML–Canada General Council meeting. 

The leaders of the two organizations compared notes in areas of similar programming and also discussed the additional vice-presidents and committees that LWML (a much larger organization) has established since LWML–C formed its own organization. Effective use of the Internet was also on the agenda, not only in discussing ways in which it can be relevant to programming but also its use for meetings. Leaders from LWML–Canada had the opportunity to experience online meetings first-hand as three leaders and two counsellors from LWML attended the meeting online from their homes in various locations in the United States. The group also took a brief look at the partnership agreement originally signed by the two organizations at the founding convention of LWML–Canada in 1993. 

Participating in this joint meeting from LWML–Canada were Judy Grande, President; Arlene Kish, Vice-President, Member Development; Iris Barta, Vice-President, Christian Mission; Marion Hollinger, Vice-President, Communication; Rev. Mark Hennig, Pastoral Counsellor. From LWML: Kay Kreklau, President; Marilyn McClure, Vice-President, Gospel Outreach; and Linda Arnold, Vice-President, Communication. The following participated via WebEx: Carolyn Blum, Vice-President, Organizational Resources; Shari Miller, Planner; Edie Norris, Public Relations; Rev. John Heckmann, Junior Pastoral Counsellor; and Rev. Kristopher Whitby, Senior Pastoral Counsellor.

Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer, Ted Kober, and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Strand

If you were unable to attend the Love Life Conference in November 2011, you can now catch up in the comfort of your own home. Videos of all major speakers have now been posted online at Vimeo, and you can watch them for free. The theme of the conference was “Getting real about sexuality: Celebration, truth, and consequences” and the theme verse was “Therefore, honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

The sixth annual Love Life Conference was hosted November 19, 2011 at Concordia University College of Alberta (CUCA), and was jointly sponsored by CUCA, Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton, Alberta), Lutherans for Life-Canada, and the Alberta-British Columbia (ABC) District of Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC). Speakers and their topics involved:

1. “Porn is not about sex.” – Dr. Simon Sheh (Christian psychologist)
2. “Responding to sexual temptation in a high tech society.” –Ted Kober (President of Ambassadors of Reconciliation)
3. “That’ll leave a mark!” –Julie Parr (speaker and community educator)
4. “‘Playing House’ – A brief examination concerning co-habitation” – Rev. Rich Docekal (All Saints Lutheran in Edmonton, Alberta)
5. “Ministering to people affected by homosexuality.” – Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer (ABC District of LCC), Rev. Dr. Jonathan Strand (CUCA), and Ted Kober (Ambassadors of Reconciliation)

The 2012 Love Life Conference will take place November 17, 2012 at CUCA. Guest presenters will include Michael Coren (author of numerous books and host of “The Arena” on Sun News) and Rev. James Lamb (Executive Director of Lutherans for Life).

Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer (left) in discussion with President Robert Bugbee at CLWR's March board meeting in Lesotho

Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) member Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer joined the Board of Directors of Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) at their March 3 meeting. As the majority of the board was in Africa for CLWR’s 2012 Global Encounter event, the meeting took place in Maseru, the capital city of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

“I am honoured to represent Lutheran Church–Canada on the CLWR board,” Dr. Schaeffer said. ”The relief and developmental work CLWR does in various regions of the world brings hope and dignity to the disadvantaged and disenfranchised as it participates in our Lord’s mission of mercy ministry.” He continued, “Martin Luther said, ‘When Christians are baptized, they give ear to the Gospel, read Scripture, partake of Holy Communion, and love their neighbour.’ CLWR provides Lutherans with humanitarian opportunities ‘to love their neighbour,’ and I am thrilled that I can, in a small way, help facilitate this opportunity by serving on its Board of Directors.”

Dr. Schaeffer serves as the Executive Assistant for Outreach in the Alberta-British Columbia District. He holds a doctorate in mission studies, and has previously served on the boards of Lutherans for Life-Canada and Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada. He participated in the 2012 Global Encounter as a member of the Ethiopia group.

LCC’s President Robert Bugbee said, “I’m grateful to God that Dr. Schaeffer was willing to make himself available for this important role, and to represent LCC in this way. He has a great heart for the kind of work that CLWR does in the world, and understands how vital it is for such efforts to grow out of our confession of Christ as Saviour.” He continued, “In my mind, he made a valuable contribution right off the bat at his very first meeting in Lesotho.” President Bugbee serves as an advisory member on CLWR’s Board of Directors and was present at the March board meeting, having attended the 2012 Global Encounter as a member of the Mozambique group.

In addition to Dr. Schaeffer, two other LCC members serve on the Board of Directors: Rev. Gerhard Wilch (Surrey, B.C.), and Deanna Friesen (Rocky Mountain House, Alberta). Neither were able to attend CLWR’s 2102 Global Encounter, and so were absent from the March board meeting.

Villagers in Mwanjete, Mozambique listen in as community leaders greet CLWR representatives

From February 23 through March 7, 2012, four representatives of Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) travelled to Africa as part of Canadian Lutheran World Relief’s (CLWR) Global Encounter program. Participants were divided into three groups, with each group visiting CLWR projects in one of three countries: Mozambique, Ethiopia, or Zambia. President Robert Bugbee (LCC), Mathew Block (Communications Manager, LCC), and Paul Schultz (Board of Directors, LCC East District) were part of the Mozambique group. Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer (Executive Assistant for Outreach, LCC ABC District) was part of the Ethiopia group.

In each country, participants toured project sites to see the difference CLWR’s work makes in the lives of ordinary people. Through the help of translators, village leaders explained how CLWR had given them tools to make a better life for their people, through agricultural initiatives, wells, markets, community organization, and numerous other projects. They welcomed the Canadians with open arms,

In one village, President Bugbee explained in this way the reason why the group of Canadians was visiting, and why our churches support CLWR’s relief and development work in Africa: “We are Christians, and because God loves us, we love you too – even though we’ve never met you before today!” He went on to explain the Gospel, how God loves us despite our sin and sent His Son to die for us, and how that love inspires us to share His love and Good News with others.

After spending a number of days visiting communities in Mozambique, Zambia, or Ethiopia respectively, the three Global Encounter groups met to spend their last few days together in Lesotho and South Africa. As the trip came to a close, President Bugbee recorded this video reflection on his experiences visiting CLWR’s work in Africa:

Stay tuned for further reports on Global Encounter 2012.

Schutz said: “Our hope is to have at least one team that will travel throughout Canada assisting churches with their summer ministry programs as well as alumni-led teams that will be available for single week events.”

For more information, to apply to be on a summer team, or to book a team for your VBS or camp, visit http://www.crewministries.com/.

by Ken Albinger, BScEd, MEd, EdD

Is there a specifically Lutheran educational pedagogy (teaching methodology) that is to be preferred above all other methods? Dr. Korcok, a Lutheran Church-Canada pastor, has answered this question with a resounding “Yes!” in his recently published book. After reading the book I have to admire the scholarship and literary research that undergirds his arguments, but I have to question his conclusion. I do so knowing full well there has been a lot of praise of the book (printed inside the front cover of the volume by the publisher), and so my view will be controversial. 

The basis for questioning the conclusion is not so much what has been researched, but rather the underlying assumptions for the argument presented which are never fully revealed, and the fact that so much research into human development and learning, which has led to significant changes in teaching over the past two hundred years, has been ignored.  

In the first two segments of the book, the author digs into the development of Lutheran schooling at two points in history, the period of the Reformation, and the period of Lutheran migration to the US. His research into the educational activities of the church during these two periods is as thorough as anything I have seen. The purpose he gives for this work is to find in our history the teaching methodology compatible with Lutheran confessionalism.

In the third segment of the book, Dr, Korcok presents a case for using a teaching methodology based on classical education, which he calls liberal arts education. The author believes this approach conforms with methods used at the time of the reformation and used by American Lutherans in the early days. He states that current teaching methods informed by what he labels ‘liberal education’ are not aligned with what the church needs to teach, and how it needs to be taught. This assertion is argued from only one point of view.

For a book with the sub-title from Wittenberg to the future, I was surprised to find almost nothing in Dr. Korcok’s Lutheran Education about the work of educators in North American Lutheran schools after Walther’s era, except mention of a few schools following the Classical model. That is unfortunate, because there is a rich heritage of solid Lutheran education throughout North America and Australia over the past hundred and fifty years. That period is filled with the work of dedicated, theologically astute Lutheran teachers who wrestled with the issues and methods of their times and worked out solutions for teaching the young that respected the revealed truth of the Bible, and the doctrinal understandings of confessional Lutheranism. I consider it a significant gap in Dr. Korcok’s research and presentation.

As I pondered why Dr. Korcok is so drawn to the Classical model of the trivium, (grammar, rhetoric and literature), which he labels Liberal Arts, I noticed a few comments that seem to reveal his underlying assumptions. The most significant is his statement, “Of all the academic disciplines, education is perhaps the most susceptible to an ‘optimistic, quick-technical-fix future.’ This is ironic when one considers that at the heart of education is the molding of the young—something one would normally not want to experiment with.” (p. 274) These two sentences make clear that for Dr. Korcok education should not seek new ways of understanding or better ways of helping each child grow into the fullness of their God-given potential. There seems to be the assumption that they are vessels to be filled with the right ideas and thoughts of the writers of the past. There is also the assumption that all educators are looking for a quick fix technical solution. But he does not present any substantial case to support these views.

I believe that Lutheran Education: from Wittenberg to the Future presents a clear and well researched view of Lutheran educational ideas from the period of the Reformation and from the period of Lutheran settlement in the USA. However, it does not provide enough research and information about what has been happening in Lutheran schools since the period of settlement. It does not present enough information about what research has revealed concerning the wonders of the development of the human brain, how well informed, theologically astute Lutheran teachers have woven this information into their educational methodology, and have successfully educated many generations of Lutheran laity and church workers both in North America and abroad.

Lutheran Education: From Wittenberg to the Future is available from Concordia Publishing House

Dr. Ken Albinger received his undergraduate education in the Concordia system, attending Bronxville, Ft Wayne and finally graduating from Seward in 1964.  After serving as a teacher and principal in two Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod schools, he accepted the challenge of a call to serve the Lutheran Church of Australia in 1973. There he served as principal of three schools, and later as director for Lutheran Schools in Queensland (1985-1999).  In 1999 he accepted a call to the faculty of Luther Seminary in Adelaide (now renamed Australian Lutheran College), where he helped develop the teacher education program in partnership with two major universities. In 2008 he ‘retired’ from the faculty, and accepted a call to serve as principal of Faith Lutheran School Edmonton. In 2010 the school relocated to St Albert and became King of Kings Lutheran School. During his time in Australia, Dr. Albinger completed his Masters of Education Studies in Curriculum, and his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership.

by Peggy Pedersen

“Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).

There has been a lot of attention paid recently to journaling, recording family history, and scrapbooking of memories. But I want to suggest that there is something far more important than these memoirs to pass on to your children and grandchildren. I want to suggest that the most important thing you can do for your children is to recount to them the deeds of the Lord in your life—His care for you, His faithfulness, His deliverance, the times when you were in distress and He comforted you, strengthened you, and showed Himself to be your rock, refuge, and deliverer.

How easily these things are forgotten once a crisis has passed. If we don’t take the time to tell our children, they will never know of them—especially if these events happen when they are young or before they are born. But hearing these things will build them up in their faith and make them aware of the very personal care God has taken of their own family through the years and generations. These are true treasures you can leave them.

How many of us tell and retell these events to our children and grandchildren?

God directed Israel not to forget what He had done for them, but to remember them in yearly observances like Passover and the Feast of Booths. Likewise, Jesus directs us to remember Him whenever we gather to receive Him in the Eucharist. Each of these observances focus on recounting God’s merciful deliverance.

But we have all experienced His mercy in our own lives as well. How many of us tell and retell these events to our children and grandchildren? As we teach our children God’s Word and bring them up in the faith, we should also inform them of our own joy and praise for what He has done for us, in giving us faith and salvation, and in His daily care for us.

In Isaiah, we are counselled to teach our children the praise of God: “The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness” (Isaiah 38:19).

When I was three, I was saved from injury and death in a horrible head-on crash with a tractor-trailer, receiving only a tiny scratch on my forehead. My father was so severely injured they wanted to amputate his leg, but—by God’s grace—it was saved. This story was recounted to me while I was a child, but although my parents were Christian it was not recounted as a story of God’s mercy and grace. My father was also in a unit in World War I that shipped out immediately after his discharge. His entire unit was killed in the first battle. Because he was spared, I live.

Our hearts should spill over with gratitude

But the grace of God is not to be found in events of physical salvation alone. Some of the greatest mercies are found in times of grief, suffering, or tragedy when only God’s sustaining love can bring consolation and healing. It is found in the patience and forgiveness He offers when we stray. I glorify Him for His unmerited mercy in bringing me back to faith and forgiving my years spent denying Him and serving false gods. He saved me for His name’s sake; may His name be praised for it. It’s a story I recount to my family even though they do not now appreciate it.

Our hearts should spill over with gratitude—even more than do proud parents who cannot help but tell everyone of their child’s wondrous activities—and we ought to be unable to restrain our lips from praising Jesus and telling of His wonderful deeds to our children. We should talk of them when we are sitting in our houses, when we are walking by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise. (Deuteronomy 11:18-19).

Our children need to know that in all things we trust God’s goodness and love. When the Lord gives and when the Lord takes away, they need to see us bless His name and trust Him. In this way, they will grow up to know the Lord as a living presence among us, a God who is near and not far off, who is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

The Psalm writer puts it well: “Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!” (Psalm 105: 1-2).

Peggy Pederson is a writer in Victoria, B.C. where she is a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

by Vic Esperanza

When I was first approached to write an article for those in our church who struggle with sexuality, I had to give it a little bit of thought and a lot of prayer. Partly because I knew I would be writing an article about real people, and not an impersonal overture for a synodical convention disqualifying homosexuals from ordination. But also because I’m not an expert with multiple degrees on this subject: I’m just a guy who happens to be friends with a lesbian, a woman who just happens to call me her pastor.

Almost four years ago a church friend confessed to me and my wife that she was gay. Her confession did not change our friendship. Nor did it change the way we viewed her in the context of church. It did, however, cause me to have a sleepless night or two as I wondered how to help and support her.

Unfortunately our synod had no resources which I could consult; a few simple Google searches revealed that Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) had no pastoral care materials—just statements about the church’s position on gay marriage and ordination.

Thankfully I found a local Christian organization that ministered to people who struggle with a variety of relational issues. I made an appointment to consult one of the leaders there about how to best help my church friend.

At a meeting in his office, this ministry leader related a story about his own struggles with same-sex attraction. He was a Christian man who had been happily married for several years, yet still felt the desire to be with men. After years of resisting these urges, he finally gave in to a few secret ‘flings.’ His guilt consumed him until eventually, in remorse, he confessed his trysts to his pastor. At the end of his long and contrite confession his pastor responded, “I don’t know how to help you, but I’ll walk with you every step of the way.”

“I don’t know how to help you, but I’ll walk with you every step of the way.”

Over the years, this man was able to battle through many of his inner conflicts with the help of his wife and his pastor. And even though the conflicts became easier for him to deal with over time, he also recognized that he would be resisting same-sex attraction and urges for the rest of his life.

Today he is a leader in his organization, and he is able to help people with emotional and sexual issues by addressing the roots of these issues, and by equipping and preparing them with tools for their struggles.

In recounting his story in that tiny office, the man sitting across from me gave me a much deeper understanding of the struggles facing Christians struggling with same-sex attraction.

The need for human companionship is as old as the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 2:18, God recognized that even though Adam was in perfect communion with God, he was still lonely. So out of compassion for Adam’s loneliness, God created Eve to be his companion.

When Adam and Eve fell, the sin that entered our world broke everything. This includes our human sexuality and desire for companionship. Jesus gives us a glimpse into the extent of that brokenness in Matthew 5:27-29 (ESV):

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

For many heterosexual people, a healthy and natural attraction to the opposite sex often crosses the line into sin with a mere thought. Many Christian men and women struggle with not crossing that line, and many of them fail. I can’t imagine what the spiritual and emotional struggle must be like for a Christian conflicted by same-sex attraction who must simultaneously live in an overwhelmingly heterosexual society.

Even though I never met the ministry leader’s pastor, his words will always stick with me: “I don’t know how to help you, but I’ll walk with you every step of the way.” That’s an attitude from which all members of LCC congregations—and all Christians for that matter—can learn.

This is not an invitation to be tolerant. Nor is it an invitation to approve. It is, however, an invitation to have compassion for those struggling with same-sex attractions, and to walk with them “every step of the way” on their journey.

Too many Christians decide that they’d rather help homosexuals by teaching them about Bible passages that condemn homosexuality. This is often done under the pretense of love and concern for their eternal well-being. They somehow believe that ‘educating’ homosexuals in God’s Word will ‘fix’ their problems, and that any rejection of such education absolves the teacher of any further responsibility in the matter. The truth is that these Christians are doing plenty of harm and virtually no good. They don’t realize that many homosexuals have already beaten themselves up mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even spiritually over their same-sex attractions. This kind of teaching is Law-driven. And ‘driven’ is the key word; it drives a lot of abject souls away from the cross.

Compassion starts at the cross of Jesus.

Compassion starts at the cross of Jesus. Gathered at the foot of the cross it is evident that God’s compassion for all people in this world is incredibly deep—deep enough that He gave his Son to hang on that cross in our place.

At the foot of that same cross you will find people struggling with all kinds of things—lust, alcohol, anger, lying, drugs, porn, and gossip, to name a few weaknesses. Just like that ministry leader with whom I met, many of those people will struggle with their vices for the rest of their lives. It’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll also find people struggling with same-sex attraction at the foot of that cross. They don’t stand any further from the cross than anyone else. They stand shoulder to shoulder with all of us sinners who come to find God’s forgiveness and grace there.

No one who stands at the foot of that cross needs a self-appointed educator to point out their weaknesses and shortcomings. They need someone who can show them love and compassion in their struggles, and yet speak words of honesty and truth to them when it looks like they are going to fall.

May God give our synod and churches the grace to demonstrate this kind of compassion, love, and understanding to a very marginalized population of our church body.

 Rev. Vic Esperanza is pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church and Olive Branch mission in Edmonton, Alberta.

by Kim Goebel

Every couple of years we see articles published and discussion arising about homosexuality and the Church. With the recent acceptance of practicing gay and lesbian ministers in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) reiterated its stance on the issue: homosexuality is not what God intended for His creation. However, I am left wondering if we ever intend to look at this issue from a more personal perspective—something less rule-oriented and more people-supportive. For me, the message we too often seem to send is this: “If you’re gay, don’t come to our church.” The articles always talk about hating the sin and loving the sinner, but that message is not really comforting when condemnation of the person seems to be on the tips of so many tongues.

I’m not a pastor, nor a theologian; I am not a DPS, nor do I hold any theological degree. I have a BA and a BEd. I attended Concordia University College of Alberta, sang in the choir, and am currently actively involved in my congregation. I grew up in  LCC guided by faithful parents who took me to church almost every Sunday, and I thank God regularly for their guidance—my faith is strong today because of it. But I am gay.

The human side

There is a human side to the homosexuality issue. Gay LCC Lutherans exist, and I, for one, would like to feel safe and accepted in my own synod.

As a Christian struggling with same-sex attraction, I often find the tone of the ongoing discussion offensive. It sounds very magnanimous: “love the sinner, but hate the sin”—as if this is a concession the Church makes on behalf of gay people. It’s fine to believe that being a practising homosexual is wrong, but offering to love us anyway is not some favour the Church extends—it’s the Church’s responsibility to offer access to God’s Word and Christ’s forgiveness.

Gay LCC members are hesitant to come out. Why? The answer is as simple as it is disheartening: many Christians do not truly distinguish between the sinner and the sin. It is not the act that is condemned; it’s the person. Even if we are non-practising homosexuals who accept the Scripture’s teaching on same-sex relationships, we still feel that condemnation. It is the fact that we are gay that is the problem—we must “repent of our desires,” we are told, and “not be gay” anymore.

But which desires?—the desire to be loved, to have a family, to come home at night and have someone ask, “How was your day?” The desire for companionship?

Much of the discussion simply labels all desire as sin and “the lust of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). However, whether straight or gay, the desire to be with someone special is as human as it gets. Even God recognized it is “not good for [people] to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). How are these desires any different from those of a straight Christian? God ordained from the beginning that we need partners in this life—physical beings with whom to live our lives.

Homosexuality is not a choice. I did not wake up one day and decide to prefer women.

The people perspective

Let’s look at it from the “people” perspective. The way many Christians condemn homosexuality does not reflect “loving the sinner and hating the sin,” because many cannot separate the two. There is also an implied expectation that this sin, above all others, must be eliminated to be assured salvation. Are we therefore required to recognize and control every sin to gain salvation? This is one of the things Martin Luther fought against in his struggle with the Roman church almost 500 years ago. If every person must sit down and name every sin they’ve committed and then stop committing them in order to be assured a place in heaven, it’s fair to say heaven will be a lonely place.

Paul’s comments about the “lust of the flesh” aren’t limited to sexual immorality. He discusses many sins such as idolatry, slander, drunkenness, swindling (1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-11) and he doesn’t rank them. That’s not to say we don’t try to stop committing the sins we recognize, but failure is a regular part of our daily routine. It is God’s grace that holds us up and assures us of salvation—not our ability not to sin.

Homosexuality is not a choice. I did not wake up one day and decide to prefer women. Likewise, I cannot wake up tomorrow and decide to prefer men. I cannot change who I am. (God can, but so far, He has not).

A lonely place

I admit to spinning between believing that to actively pursue a physical relationship with another woman is wrong in the eyes of God, and really wishing I could find a loophole somewhere. I struggle with the choice daily because, like most people, I desire an intimate, physical, loving relationship with another human being. And this at times is a lonely place to be—something both straight and gay people can understand.

For me this isn’t an issue about ordination or a question of whether my sin is worse than someone else’s; it’s about recognizing that there should be a place for all sinners to come to the cross in safety and love, warts and all.

The Church should be a place where I can find others who share my struggle and can support me in my journey. If I have to be sinless before coming into the Church, then I don’t really need the Church, do I?

Let’s try looking at this issue from a different perspective: seeing homosexuals as people who want the same thing as everyone else—people whose wish is not to be alone. Maybe that’s a place to start.

 Kim Goebel is a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Edmonton, Alberta.

A Kitchener, Ontario Member of Parliament wants his colleagues to study a 400-year-old human rights issue and he’s got the support of a Lutheran church in his constituency.

Stephen Woodworth, MP for Kitchener Centre and lawyer by vocation discovered that a Canadian law, based on centuries-old Common Law, denies human rights to a baby until it is completely free from the mother’s body. He placed before parliament a motion asking the House to create a committee to study the legal definition of human life.

In a statement to journalists in Ottawa February 6, 2012, Mr. Woodworth said that “a respectful dialogue to update a 400-year-old definition of human being, with the aid of twenty-first century information, will benefit everyone. Whatever view one has about other issues, does it make medical sense to say that a child is not a human being until the moment of complete birth?”

Last year he presented his case to a Town Hall meeting hosted by Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in downtown Kitchener. The congregation, a member of pro-life Lutheran Church–Canada, wanted to know how its members could help the MP. The result is what the church’s pastor, Rev. Mark Hartburg, calls a “talk piece” — a leaflet which supporters can distribute urging readers to contact their MPs asking them to vote for the bill and then participate in the debate. The leaflet, designed by a member of Historic St. Paul’s, shows a pregnant woman and asks the question “What is this woman carrying?” It is online for download at http://notyetborn.wordpress.com/  

Also on the site is a printable petition calling on the House of Commons to “confirm that every human being is recognized by Canadian law as human by amending Section 223 of our Criminal Code in such a way as to reflect twenty-first century medical evidence.” MPs must file any petition they receive which contains at least 25 valid signatures.

“The online materials are designed to encourage discussion in a fact-based and respectful manner,” explains Pastor Hartburg. “The site where these documents are posted is designed to avoid any political or religious affiliation.”

Rev. Hartburg noted that most Canadians have no idea the law exists and that is why the debate is important. “It’s a matter of justice” he said.

Mr. Woodworth argues his case based on current medical technology that allows doctors and parents to monitor the developing baby’s progress and, if necessary, perform surgery before birth. “If that’s not a human life, then why go to all this effort?” asks the pastor. “Yet, in Canadian law the baby is not yet a human being.”

The actions of Historic St. Paul’s have the support of Lutherans for Life-Canada, an organization affiliated with Lutheran Church–Canada. Spokesperson Marian Obeda from London, Ontario said the organization is “most appreciative of the work Pastor Hartburg and Historic St. Paul’s are doing promoting the initiative of Mr. Woodworth in protecting the life of the unborn.”

“Even though science has proven otherwise, Canadian law does not acknowledge the fact that a baby is a human being, deserving of rights and protection until it is born and completely separate from the mother’s body.” She also expressed gratitude to Mr. Woodworth for “his initiative to change this law and give the unborn baby the full rights and protection it deserves.”

Parliament will undertake an initial debate on Mr. Woodworth’s motion, probably in March, followed by a vote likely in June.

 Ian Adnams is former editor of The Canadian Lutheran and www.canadianlutheran.ca.

The discipleship task force includes six members, two from each of LCC’s three districts. Two of its members are pastors, one is from the roster of deacons, and the other three are laypeople. The members bring a broad range of experiences from their work in local parishes, an LCC District office, industry and provincial government. They are especially keen to provide materials which can also be used in small congregations, or those in outlying areas where there is no resident pastor in the community.

The new task force plans to continue meeting via Skype and telephone conference calls to minimize the time and expense required for face-to-face meetings. They adopted terms of reference for their work, and will keep the Synod’s Council of Presidents and Board of Directors well-informed along the way. Although they intend to begin producing materials sooner, they will ultimately provide a comprehensive report on their work to the Tenth Convention of LCC in 2014.

Serving on the newly organized task force are: Kathy Kuhl (Vineland, Ontario); Rev. Jacob Quast (Fort Frances, Ontario); Carol Haberstock (Edmonton, Alberta); Elton Harper (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan); Rev. Larry Flohr (Mississauga, Ontario); and Deacon Daryl Becker (Edmonton, Alberta).  After an opening orientation by President Bugbee, the group elected Elton Harper as chairman and Kathy Kuhl as secretary.

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

by Victor Parachin and Ian Adnams

“It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually,” observed the British mystic Oswald Chambers. In earlier times, Christians, especially monks, nuns and others living in church institutions practiced various spiritual disciplines. They believed their work before God earned their ongoing salvation. As a priest, Luther never believed he did enough to earn God’s forgiveness. Once he discovered that salvation was God’s gift, by grace, through faith, his struggle for self-righteousness ended.

Luther also knew that, despite our forgiveness, we still sin. Through the Holy Spirit’s power in the Word and Sacraments, God patiently works, sanding down spiritual rough edges, refining and polishing us so that we may better reflect Him to our world. We call this process sanctification—“fix[ing] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Lent is a time of soul-searching and repentance. The forty-day observance recalls the forty days Christ spent in the desert “being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended Him” (Mark 1:13).

Scripture does not speak of Lent, and in our current culture it is minimized or even ignored. To help you focus on the forty days of Lent, here are forty daily suggestions. Some will involve action or sacrifice, others repentance, but all require a humble spirit before God as we rely on His strength.

May these simple suggestions bring new meaning to the season.

Day 1) Begin with the three “Rs”.

On the very first day of Lent, renew your commitment to spiritual growth; reflect on your spiritual life over the preceding year; finally, respond by asking the Holy Spirit to point out where there are deficiencies and ask for His guidance in addressing them.

Today’s Scripture: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

Day 2) Read Matthew 25:35-46.

Study this teaching of Jesus carefully. In it Jesus reminds followers that God loves everyone; that each person we encounter is to be treated with consummate dignity, respect and love. This is especially true for those who are marginalized by society: the poor, the homeless, the incarcerated.

Today’s Scripture: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Day 3) Increase your acts of mercy.

Here’s a simple prayer to guide you on this path: “Dear merciful God, give me eyes so that I never judge by appearances but see only what is beautiful in others; give me merciful ears which turn away from all gossip; give me a merciful tongue which offers words of praise and encouragement; give me merciful hands than I may reach out to the wounded with love; give me merciful feet which will walk toward those in need so that I may assist.”

Today’s Scripture: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).

Day 4) Say grace.

Before eating, pause to offer thanks for what you will enjoy. Express gratitude for the many workers it took to produce your meal—the farmer, the harvester, those who delivered the product to market, the grocer, the clerk who checked you out, etc.

Today’s Scripture: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever  (Psalm 118:1).

Day 5) Offer arrow prayers.  

These are brief one-sentence prayers offered throughout the day for different people and various matters. “Be with this retail clerk.” “Lift my colleagues’ spirits today.” “Bless my family.” “May I be a source of joy at work.” “May I handle this difficulty with calmness and kindness.”

Today’s Scripture: And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).

Day 6) Remember your baptism.

Through the water and the Word, the Lord made you a member of His family. Today, say a prayer of thanks to God for this gracious gift.

Today’s Scripture: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 1:9).

Day 7) Fast.

In the past, many Christians practiced fasting during Lent. Restore this practice by going without meals one day. If that’s too much, consider skipping just one meal. A gentle fast like this will refresh your memory that many people on the planet go hungry day after day. One fast day in Lent will serve as a reminder of the bounty you enjoy daily.

Today’s Scripture: Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ “ (Matthew 4:4).

Day 8) Let Scripture feed your soul.

Commit to memory a verse from God’s Word. Try Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Day 9) Identify a personal weakness.

Write down one thing you’d like to change about yourself. Think about ways you could make that change during Lent. Pray for God’s help to do it.

Today’s Scripture: I can do everything through Him who gives me strength (Phillipians 4:13).

Day 10) Identify a personal strength.

On the other side of the same piece of paper listing your personal weakness, write down a personal strength. Think about ways you can use that strength in your vocation and in your congregation throughout the Lenten season and beyond. It’s always a good discipline to minimize a weakness and maximize a strength.

Today’s Scripture: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17).

Day 11) Strive to be more like Job.

This Old Testament man had virtues which more people need to model. “I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow’s heart sing…I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy. I took up the case of the stranger.” (Job 29:12-16)

Today’s Scripture: The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40).

Day 12) Resist temptation.

In Luke 4:1-2 it is reported that Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days. Be like Jesus. Resist a temptation. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Today’s Scripture: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

Day 13) Slow down.

Quit rushing from task to task, from place to place, from person to person. Build pauses into your day to renew and revitalize your spirit. When you engage in a task, do it more slowly and more mindfully. When you are with a person, give that individual your undivided attention.

Today’s Scripture: Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed (Mark 1:35).

Day 14) Pray for people who irritate you.

These are the ones you don’t really like, the ones whose mere appearances annoy you. Pray for them to be blessed, to be happy, to be loved. You may be surprised how that kind of prayer changes you and your attitude toward the irritating people in your life.

Today’s Scripture: Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:28).

Day 15) Focus on ‘being more’ rather than ‘having more.’

Evangelist Billy Graham notes: “We are slaves to our gadgets, puppets of our power, and prisoners of our security. The theme of our generation is: ‘Get more, know more, and do more’ instead of ‘Pray more, be more, and serve more.’”

Today’s Scripture: …whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

Day 16) Follow the advice of St. Paul.

In 1 Timothy 6:11-12, the apostle writes: “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” See God’s hand at work as His Spirit works in your life through His Word and Sacraments. 

Today’s Scripture: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

Day 17) Donate to the poor.

Write a larger than normal cheque to a charitable group which serves the poor. As you write the cheque, pause to pray, asking a special blessing upon those served by that organization. If you are not able financially to do this, then do an early spring cleaning of your closet and donate clothing you haven’t worn recently to charity. As you pack those give away item, pause to pray that they will be a great joy and blessing to the recipients.

Today’s Scripture: But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny (Mark 12:42).

Day 18) Speak your love.

Say “I love you” to family members. Then, spread your love by saying to some outside of your family, “I love you.” If you have love for them in your heart, bring that love onto your lips. Far too many people go through their entire lives not knowing they are loved by others. Do your part to let others know of your love for them.

Today’s Scripture: If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:20-21).

Day 19) Mend little rips and tears in your relationships.

That advice comes from Brenda Shoshanna author of 365 Ways To Give Thanks. “Is there someone you haven’t called back for a while? Or someone else with whom you never made that luncheon date, although you promised to do so? Have your been putting off a visit?” she asks. Shoshanna reminds people that “unfinished business in our relationships can become little rips and tears, making the fabric of the relationship less sturdy with time.” The solution: mend those rips and tears by putting making overdue calls, scheduling the visit, arranging the lunch.

Today’s Scripture: Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble (1 Peter 3:8).

Day 20) Seek forgiveness.

Speak to someone you’ve hurt, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and seek their forgiveness.

Today’s Scripture: For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great (Psalm 25:11).

Day 21) Offer forgiveness.

Think about an individual who has hurt or offended you. Simply forgive. You don’t have to tell the person you’ve done this, but just forgive, let it go and move on.

Today’s Scripture: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Matthew 6:12).

Day 22) Remember your confirmation 

At confirmation the church heard your public confession of faith which God planted at your baptism. The important lessons you learned are part of who you are today. Bring to mind your confirmation verse and thank God today for those who instructed you in the faith.

Today’s Scripture: Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:13).

Day 23) Listen carefully

. . . especially to someone who disagrees with you. Try to listen without reacting or judging what is being said to you. As you do this you’ll discover that the issue becomes much clearer and cleaner.

Today’s Scripture: He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame (Proverbs 18:13).

Day 24) Be a peacemaker. 

Ken Sande writes in The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict: “Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring his love, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. God delights to breathe his grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice, and encourage repentance and reconciliation.”

Today’s Scripture: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

Day 25) Focus on peace.

“Keep peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others,” said Thomas A Kempis. Let your thoughts, words and actions reflect the peace of the Lord and the love He has shown you in Jesus Christ.

Today’s Scripture: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

Day 26) Confess your faith  

Speak the words of the Apostles’ Creed recalling its three divisions in Luther’s Small Catechism: Article 1: creation; Article 2: redemption; Article 3: sanctification. Answer the question “What does this mean?”

Today’s Scripture: Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12).

Day 27) Smile more.

And complain less!

Today’s  Scripture: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12).

Day 28) Inspire yourself.

Read an uplifting story. View a film which conveys spiritual depth. Read I Corinthians 13.

Day 29) Be an angel.

In biblical times, angels frequently appeared bringing good news. Be an angel by carrying the good news of the Gospel to a family member or friend.

Today’s Scripture: I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile (Romams 1:16).

Day 30) Cultivate gentleness.

Bradford Keeney, author of Everyday Soul, explains: “Gentleness values the softly spoken word, the tender touch, the warm embrace, and the kind, approving gesture. When we are in the presence of holy people, it is the power of their gentleness that moves us the most…It is their consideration of others that brings forth their fullest presence.”

Today’s Scripture: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

Day 31) Discover a new avenue for service.

Ask God to show you some new way to serve Him.

Today’s Scripture: So now, go. I am sending you [Moses] to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10).

Day 32) Walk on water.

God always calls you beyond your abilities. Though it may seem that God is calling you to do the impossible, step out in faith. The walk of faith is nothing more than a call to walk on water.

Today’s Scripture: But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Day 33) Ease the suffering of another person.

Spend time with someone who is grieving or who is hospitalized or who has been wounded by life. Be fully present with compassion and love.

Today’s Scripture: Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).

Day 34) Experience more joy.

Author Sam Keen advises: “As you go through the day, become a spy in the kingdom of joy. Look for signs that strangers you meet are enjoying themselves, and actually or vicariously join them.” Joy is God’s gift to share with others.

Today’s Scripture: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (John 15:11).

Day 35) Be willing to serve.

“Have your tools ready; God will find you work,” wrote Charles Kingsley.

Today’s Scripture: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matthew 16:25).

Day 36) Keep your word.

It’s better to be viewed as hesitant, uncertain and indecisive than to make a promise or commitment and not keep it.

Today’s Scripture: Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).

Day 37) Spend time with God alone 

In our busy lives, time alone is rare. Yet, we are never alone because God is always with us. Find some quiet time today, read Psalm 51 and be aware of God’s presence

Today’s Scripture: After He [Jesus] had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone (Matthew 14:23).

Day 38) Reflect on Holy Week 

This week in the Christian calendar is the most solemn yet most joyous. Jesus suffered and died for our sins, and He won victory over death by rising from the dead. Be sensitive to opportunities to share the full meaning of Easter with someone today.

Today’s Scripture :For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (1 Corinthians 15:3-5).

Day 39) Offset fear with faith.

When you feel worried, afraid or alone, recall and repeat these words of the psalm writer: “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.” (Psalm 118:6)

Today’s Scripture: Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal (Isaiah 26:4).

Day 40) Look beyond Lent.

Thank God for the past 40 days and for the gift of forgiveness and new life He gave you because of Christ’s sacrifice.

Today’s Scripture: And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

——————–

At the time of original publication (January/February 2009):
Victor M. Parachin was a freelance writer in Tulsa,Oklahoma.
Additional material by Ian Adnams, then editor of The Canadian Lutheran.

by Robert Bugbee

“I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10). Jesus came in a vision one night and said it to His servant, St. Paul. He knew this man needed to see something his eyes were missing. Paul was in Corinth as a missionary. The work wasn’t easy. Paul was apparently discouraged. Based on what the Lord said that night, His servant was perhaps tempted to quit preaching. Maybe Paul figured the work wouldn’t go well, even though quite a few people believed to begin with. We don’t know exactly what was churning in Paul’s mind and heart, but the Lord knew there was a fact this man needed to see: “I have many people in this city.”

Christ realized that if His messenger would look at Corinth through Christ’s own eyeglasses, it could provide him with the energy and love he needed to keep at the task. Jesus did not prescribe a particular program or method to reach people. He did want St. Paul to go at the work with Christ’s own eyes and mindset.

Sometimes I wonder how active members of our congregations view their church and the communities around them. Maybe you’re tempted to look at your congregation and think wistfully about years gone by, to feel regret that some things are not exactly the way they were 30 years ago. Maybe you look at the neighbourhood where your church is located and see nothing but houses you drive past on the way to services, inhabited by strangers you don’t know and do not think about very much.

Even if the Lord doesn’t awaken you in the night to speak in a vision, have you stopped to ponder how the same neighbourhood looks through His eyes? You might see people He created and into whom He has poured much care, sustaining their lives, even if they don’t realize it. You could see men and women, boys and girls for whom Jesus bled and died on the cross, people He yearns to have close to Him. I’m sure many of those dwellings house families enduring tensions, worries about money, sorrow over a recent death or some terrible illness, or just a loneliness that makes folks wish somebody cared or they had a place to feel as though they mattered.

Have you ever stopped to ponder how the neighbourhood looks through God’s eyes?

If you viewed the surrounding area through eyes like that, it may well change the way you see your home congregation. It can become a place where God’s children make a point of praying regularly for people in their community, and where we look for a way to open the door and invite people in. You may start seeing it as a witness the Lord intentionally placed where it is, one He’s ready to use as His instrument to get the saving Name of Jesus into circulation.

I’ve not said much about strategies, programs or events. That’s because what worked in one place may not work in another. Door-knocking that seemed effective in the 1960’s and 1970’s might lead nowadays to irritation and resistance. I’m speaking here about the eyes and heart to reach out. These treasures grow when we begin to see other people—and ourselves—more in the way the Lord sees them.

With due respect to organized strategies, it’s reported that one of the strongest outreach tools is when a Christian speaks to a friend, when one person invites another. So this matter of getting the eyes to reach out is not just for the business agenda of your church council or congregational meeting. It’s personal.

God set you into a certain “community,” too, didn’t He? You are surrounded, not so much by houses, but by people in your family, co-workers, folks you meet at sporting events, clubs, and in other relationships. How do you see those people? After you answer that question, ask yourself another one: How does the Lord see them? You already know. He loved the world. He gave His only Son to be our Rescuer. Christ sent His people into the world to teach and baptize, because He wants to draw more of them to the saving faith.

God set you into a certain “community,” too, didn’t He?

Have you looked at your circle of friends and acquaintances through those eyes? Can you imagine what a great thing it would be to see them the way Christ sees them, much as He was hoping Paul would see the big, scary city of Corinth? I imagine then you might begin naming some of these people in your prayers. You could find yourself taking an interest in their lives, especially in their eternal well-being. You might start grappling with how best to give witness to your faith in Christ, and asking God to create the right moment to do so.

I don’t know exactly where this could lead. It brings no guarantees. (After all, even gifted Paul didn’t accomplish as much in Athens as in Corinth!) But eyes like this are a blessed, needed thing, not only for congregations as a whole, but in your life and mine.

——————–

Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee is President of Lutheran Church–Canada.

President Harrison (LCMS) testifying at a congressional hearing on whether the Health and Human Services mandate infringes on religious freedom.

by Mathew Block

President Matthew Harrison of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) appeared at a congressional hearing February 16, arguing that government is infringing upon religious liberty with its new Health and Human Services mandate. In addition to President Harrison, the panel also included Roman Catholic, Baptist, and Jewish leaders.

In January 2011, the White House announced the implementation of new rules requiring all employers to include coverage for contraception and sterilization in its insurance policies. Exceptions were made for churches, synagogues, and other places of worship, but other religious institutions—including colleges, charitable organizations, and hospitals—were not exempted. They were given a one-year grace period to comply with the new legislation, after which heavy fines would be levelled for failure to comply.

Numerous religious groups—most prominently the Roman Catholic Church—cried foul, arguing that the new laws infringed upon their constitutional right to freedom of religion. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that contraception is morally wrong. Forcing their hospitals and charitable organizations to pay for it, the church argued, was a gross violation of their rights, and they would not comply. All 180 bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America have opposed the measure.

In addition to providing coverage for contraception, the new rules also include funding for “the morning after pill” and Ulipristal or “Ella”. These drugs—often called abortifacients—can induce abortions by preventing a young fetus from attaching to the uterus wall.

President Harrison expressed his concern in an open letter February 3. He wrote that the church “objects to the use of drugs and procedures that are used to take the lives of unborn children, who are persons in the sight of God from the time of conception.” While he notes that the LCMS’ own health plan has been grandfathered in, thus exempting it from abiding by the new rules, he expressed “grave concern” for the rights of other religious groups. “The action by HHS,” he writes, “will have the effect of forcing many religious organizations to choose between following the letter of the law and operating within the framework of their religious tenets.

On February 10, President Barack Obama announced what he called an “accommodation” for religious employers: they would not have to directly pay for birth control, he said, but their insurance companies would. A number of groups, including the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, denied that any real accommodation had been made. As the religious organizations have to pay insurers for coverage, and as insurers are obligated to cover birth control, then religious organizations would still be required to hire insurers providing coverage condemned by the organization’s religious beliefs.

In President Harrison’s response to the accommodation, he wrote that “the government has overstepped its bounds.” “This controversy is not merely about ‘birth control’ and the Catholic Church’s views about it,” he wrote. “It’s about mandating that we provide medications which kill life in the womb. And moreover, and perhaps even more ominous, it is about an overzealous government forcing coercive provisions that violate the conscience and rights of its citizens.”

Religious people determine what violates their consciences, not the federal government.

In light of the widespread concern, a congressional hearing was called to consider whether the rights of religious groups were being infringed by the Health and Human Services mandate. In his testimony at the hearing, President Harrison explained his concerns as follows:

“While we are opposed in principle, not to all forms of birth control, but only abortion-causing drugs, we stand with our friends in the Catholic Church and all others, Christians and non-Christians, under the free exercise and conscience provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Religious people determine what violates their consciences, not the federal government.”

Later in the discussion, President Harrison asserted: “I would rather go to jail than violate my conscience”—a sentiment shared by other members of the panel. Other leaders on the first panel of witnesses included Bishop William Lori of the Roman Catholic Church, Dr. Ben Mitchell of Union University, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik of Yeshiva University, and Dr. Craig Mitchell of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, all of whom held that the administration’s new health mandate infringed on religious rights.

The CLMS board at work

by James Morgan

Christ Our King Lutheran Church (Missassauga, Ontario) was the location of the 2012 annual meeting of the Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS). Held February 11-12, the event saw the election of Rev. Clifford Haberstock as the new president of CLMS, succeeding Terry Goerz. At the meeting, board members also committed to funding a number of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) mission projects. CLMS will be sponsoring more than $118,000 worth of LCC’s mission projects this year. This includes all or part of 18 projects in six different countries.

In Costa Rica, the four projects involve children’s education, teenagers with special needs, rental of space for worship services and Bible study, and assisting a missionary with purchasing a car. Dr. Neitzel notes that taxis in Costa Rica are expensive and bus service between communities is inefficient. Transportation needs exist in Honduras too. CLMS is supporting efforts there to purchase a motorcycle for a missionary, in addition to providing assistance to another missionary in that country.

There are four projects in Ukraine with most of the funding going towards seminary education and the training of six pastors. A sanatorium in Yalta will receive help to pay for basic training materials along with medication and diapers for small children. Another project to help orphans and children whose parents are in jail is being supported, along with summer camps.

One project in Thailand is receiving CLMS support. It will assist LCC missionary Suchat Chujhit with housing costs, transportation, and the rental of worship space. The single Canadian mission project receiving support is an effort to train ethnic pastors serving immigrant congregations.

Nicaragua has seven projects receiving CLMS funding. One covers the cost of school supplies and fees for 60 children whose parents would normally have to pay the equivalent of $125.00 per year. Funding will also be going to Vacation Bible School outreach in Nicaragua, purchasing material for an expanding music ministry, and building a shelter for outdoor worship in the community of Mount Olivet. Other Nicaraguan projects receiving CLMS support include including worship space rental and transportation. 

“It was a joyous meeting,” Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel said about the weekend event in Oakville, adding that LCC is “very grateful and appreciative” for CLMS’ support. Dr. Neitzel is LCC’s executive for missions and social ministry.

“By God’s grace we accomplished a lot, and I’m absolutely sure and confident that our Good Lord will continue providing for His mission as he uses us as His instruments,” said Dr. Neitzel about the partnership between LCC and CLMS.

President Haberstock of CLMS expressed similar sentiments, saying, ”CLMS is thankful to God for the generous support for God’s mission by its LCC members.”  He continued: “It is a wonderful privilege to make these projects known to LCC’s members,” he said, “and to give them the opportunity to directly support our shared mission of bringing God’s healing Gospel to people throughout the world.”

President Haberstock noted that one hundred percent of donations given in support of a particular project go to that project. More information on CLMS’ mission work can be found at their website www.concordiamissions.org.

If there’s one thing that history makes clear, it’s this: there is no era in which the Church can simply sit back and conclude: yes, that’s it. We’ve expanded all we need to on the Christian faith. Everyone is in agreement. Nothing else need be said or written.

The fact is, the Church is always in the midst of some dispute or argument. It was true in the time of the Apostles, true in the time of the Church Fathers, true at the Reformation, and true today. The Church is forever encountering new concepts and ideas, new errors and heresies; and it’s forever attempting to respond to those issues.

There was a time when such theological concerns were a matter of public dialogue. People spoke about them in the taverns, argued over them in the streets, and—though it might seem strange to us today—served them up at the dinner table. In fact, one of Luther’s works, a book called Table Talk, is actually a record of informal comments he made to visitors in his home. These thoughts are not as polished as some of his written work—table talk seldom is—but they let us see him wrestling personally with the issues of the day.

It’s my hope that this column can function similarly—that it can be a place where we can consider issues at play in our own time, a place to discuss the things that make the Church stop and go “hmmm.” I don’t pretend to have the answers, but perhaps together we can at least figure out some of the right questions. And maybe those questions will find their way into our everyday lives—perhaps making an eventual appearance at our own dinner tables. As we discuss these issues, we do so with the intention of finding God’s perspective on things, not our own. In other words, we allow historic Christian doctrine to guide our thinking.

Doctrine is always relevant because faith is always relevant. If we are going to “believe,” we must believe something. And if we are not clear what that “something” is… if we let people fill the blanks in for themselves, then they will inevitably fill it in with inventions of their own making. As sinful human beings, we naturally seek out teachers to tell us what our “itching ears” want to hear. In the process, we exchange our “theology” (a God-shaped faith) for a “me-ology” (a “me”-shaped faith)—what I think, what I like, what I want to believe. The “god” we claim to worship begins to look suspiciously like ourselves.

Doctrine is always relevant because faith is always relevant.

In order to prevent people from remaking God in their own images, the early Church attempted to codify what genuine Christianity looks like. You’ll be acquainted with some of that work—namely, the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. If you’ve got a good memory, you might even remember the Athanasian Creed. (You know, the really long one that gets read on Trinity Sunday.) The creeds outline core doctrines of our faith, reminding us what is and is not true Christianity. The Lutheran Confessions function similarly: they are guides to keep us on the right path. Together, the creeds and confessions help us to interpret the Scriptures correctly, because they are themselves faithful interpretations of the Scriptures.

Still, creeds and confessions don’t include direct responses to every question the Church encounters. In each age, Christians face new problems about which we must think critically and biblically. This edition of The Canadian Lutheran talks about two such issues prevalent in our own time: abortion and homosexuality. Of course, these are not particularly new issues; they’ve been matters of debate for some time. Many Christians have already formed their responses to these subjects. But what I hope you’ll see in these articles is a call to reflect critically on how we respond.

When it comes to abortion, many Christians simply condemn the practice and anyone associated with it. Now, let’s be clear: abortion is absolutely evil. It’s the murder of innocent, defenseless children, and God’s Law insists that murder is never acceptable. On the subject of sexuality, the Law is equally clear: homosexual unions are not part of God’s plan. In fact, they are expressly forbidden. They are God’s “very good” intention for human love twisted and left broken by creation’s fall—one more way in which humanity’s sinful nature manifests itself in the world.

Many Christians know and accept these things, and so we’ve gotten fairly good at proclaiming God’s Law on these issues to the world around us. But—and this is the great travesty—we have not always been so diligent at proclaiming the Gospel. Abortion is wrong. But the mother who has had an abortion and who later repents of that act, needs to hear grace. The homosexual Christian who—through God-given courage—rejects and resists the sinful desires of his heart, needs to hear of God’s love and forgiveness. These people are broken. They need God’s mercy, not just His judgment.

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.

And this is the Good News: Christ does show mercy to the broken. We are promised in Scripture that “a bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out” (Matthew 12:20). The Church, as the body of Christ, needs to do the same. Rather than just beating down the suffering with the Law, we must encourage them with the Gospel. We must care for them in their weaknesses, proclaiming the forgiveness won by Christ at the cross.

The Law is good, but on its own it brings only death. The Gospel is needed to make alive again.

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Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran and manager of communications for Lutheran Church–Canada.

President Robert Bugbee (LCC), Rev. Willy Gaspar (Dominican Republic), and Rev. Dr. Albert Collver (LCMS)

by Robert Bugbee

Dear friends,

I write these lines on a bright, warm Monday morning from Gonaives in northern Haiti.  I am making a very quick “get acquainted” trip here together with Rev. Dr. Albert Collver III.  He is the Director of Church Relations and Assistant to the president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). For some years, our American friends have been in close fellowship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) and their president Rev. Marky Kessa. Meanwhile, a good number of LCC people involved in the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society Canada have worked closely with a second group, the Lutheran Church of Haiti (LCH) and their president Rev. Revenel Benoit.

These two groups were formerly part of the same church body (the ELCH) and divided some years ago. Their relationship has often been troubled. Now LCC and LCMS are working together to bring a deeper level of peace and cooperation between them. We are hopeful the Lord is blessing our efforts. Our two North American churches want to provide a common program to train deacons, evangelists, and pastors for both Haitian groups, and to have their students study together for much of the course-work.

After arriving in the Haitian capital of Port au Prince on Saturday, our group travelled several hours northward on Sunday to the city of Gonaives. This city is the “nerve centre” of the LCH and President Benoit. After attending Sunday worship at his church in the central city, we spent a good piece of Sunday afternoon getting to know some of LCH’s ministries: a home of refuge for orphaned street boys, a depot providing clean water to its neighbourhood, a quarry which the LCH uses to sell gravel products to become financially self-sufficient, and a TV and radio transmitting tower (second-hand from Omaha!) on a high hill which is capable of reaching 2/3 of the entire country.

The Lord has moved President Benoit and the LCH to give us a letter indicating his church’s commitment to training pastors together with the ELCH. Now today we set out for the southern city of Jacmel in the hope that President Kessa and his co-workers will respond positively as well.

Haiti is gradually recovering from the dreadful earthquake of early 2010. There are many people who fled the capital and are now living in makeshift dwellings throughout the countryside but, of course, this does not mean they find work or have a regular income. In addition to the “scarring” one sees in the aftermath of the earthquake, we saw the fingerprints yesterday of Haiti’s sorrowful past: a large cave by the roadside where dictators disposed of the bodies of their victims after executing them.

People are gracious and welcoming, however—nowhere more so than at the home I visited yesterday for orphaned street boys. Remember those TV commercials from aid agencies where some North American visitor is surrounded by a “flock” of beautiful little children following him around? I experienced it myself. Some of the little boys were abandoned on the streets as young as two years of age. They are starving for attention. For now, at least, our Lutheran friends in Haiti are providing them with a roof over their heads, a bed to sleep in, two good meals each day, and enrollment at Concordia Lutheran School.

I’m grateful to hear of the appreciation these people have for Canadians and their support of the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society.

If time permits, I’ll write again later.  God bless your workweek, wherever you are reading this!

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Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee is president of Lutheran Church–Canada.

by Richard Juritsch

Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, is working to introduce a private member’s bill to reopen public debate on abortion. Linda Gibbons, who has served eight cumulative years in prison for the crime of peacefully protesting near abortion clinics is having her case heard by the Supreme Court of Canada. After many years of seeming silence, abortion is once again in the public eye.

So what do we as Christians do? Speak up and speak with. “Speak up” about abortion. For God tells us: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Proverbs 31:8). And “speak with” those affected by abortion, meeting them where they are with the grace of Christ. Walk in the footsteps of Paul—who walked in the steps of Christ—and meet the broken in their brokenness: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them… To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23).

What is abortion?

Let’s be clear on what it is we are discussing. Defined clinically, abortion is “the expulsion of a fetus (naturally, or especially by medical induction) from the womb before it is able to survive independently.” Sometimes abortions happen naturally—without medical intervention. For whatever reason, not all babies live long enough to experience birth. We call it a miscarriage. Such an “abortion” is within the purview of God who says, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand” (Deuteronomy 32:39). Miscarriage hurts. But we know that the God who loved us enough to die in our place, also loves the child who is never born.

God makes alive. He is at work in the miracle of the mystery of the womb. We confess with the Psalmist: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). What is involved in that knitting? Twenty-one days after conception—after sperm and ova unite—the heart beats. Forty days after conception, the baby experiences its first reflex movements. Forty-four days after the conception of this little human comes the earliest brain activity science is capable thus far of detecting. Eight weeks into its existence, the baby is about the size of an adult thumb, but well-proportioned with all its organs present and bones beginning to develop. By eleven weeks, the baby practices breathing, urinates, and can even smile. All this happens before the first trimester is over, a time during which—in any country where abortion is legal—that baby’s life can be ended with a medical abortion. What is worse, under current law, an abortion is legal at any time in Canada during pregnancy—so long as the baby’s umbilical cord is still attached or some part of its body is still in the birth canal. In fact, Canada is the only country in the world to not place limitations of any kind on abortion.

How do I “speak up?”

Scripture is clear that our humanity predates our birth. From conception on, we are human beings. From conception on, our souls are human souls. From the moment our father’s seed unites with our mother’s egg, our DNA is human DNA. And just as God does not permit the taking of adult human life without reason, He has not authorized anyone take to the life of a baby within the womb.

So, as those called by God to open our mouths for the mute, what do we do?

1. Pray. It is hypocrisy if those who speak against governments for allowing and funding abortions do not themselves listen to God. And God says: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4). We need to pray for those in government, “speaking up” to God and asking Him to bless and guide our leaders. We also need to pray for all those considering abortion as a solution to a pregnancy not wanted by the mother or those close to her.

2. Teach. Help tell others about the truth of abortion. Groups like Lutherans for Life Canada exist to teach Lutherans about life issues, and equip them to share what they have learned with others. If you need information on abortion and other life issues, visit their website: www.lutheransforlife-canada.ca. Even more information, including numerous books and pamphlets, is available from their sister organization in the United States at www.lutheransforlife.org.

3. Speak out. This does not require you to hold a poster in front of your local hospital or abortion clinic—though there’s nothing wrong with doing so if you feel so moved. “Speaking out” can be something as simple as explaining the truth about abortion when it comes up in conversation. It can be supporting the work of others who calmly—if passionately—speak out against abortion, such as Stephen Woodworth or Linda Gibbons. It can be signing petitions, sending letters to the editor, writing a blog, making a comment on Facebook, or any other number of ways. But whatever you do, don’t just speak out.

We need to “speak with.”

Abortion is not an abstract, philosophical concept. Real people turn to abortion in desperation, ignorance, and weakness. They turn to it because they are sinners—just as you and I are sinners. Jesus died for those who have had abortions, just as He died for you and me; we all of us, like St. Paul, should believe “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15).

Even if abortion were outlawed, the tragedy of past abortions does not simply disappear. Years after an abortion takes place, hurt can still linger. It can rear its head after years of suppression. But God does not leave us to suffer in guilt. Abortion is not the unforgivable sin.

Guilt and pain over abortion can be as great as that Jeremiah describes: “Thus says the Lord: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the LORD, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, declares the LORD and your children shall come back to their own country’” (Jeremiah 31:15-17).

There was hope for Rachel. There is also hope for the mother who wrestles with the guilt of abortion. God is merciful toward her and her baby. We pray that she finds comfort in the forgiveness won her by Christ. We entrust to His mercy the child whose life was taken.

We must, as Scripture guides us to, “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). We need to love those affected by abortion—the mother, of course, but also the father, grandparents, and, yes, even brothers and sisters. When you find your own words fail, point them to additional help: that might be your pastor, or it might be a group like Word of Hope Ministry (www.word-of-hope.org) which provides free counselling by trained workers for anyone affected by an abortion.

Final thoughts

The issue of abortion is a difficult one, and it is impossible to do more than scratch its surface in an article of this length. But there are two things all of us can do: we can “speak up” in defense of the unborn; and we can “speak with” those hurting from abortion, proclaiming to them God’s mercy and love. May God give us the courage to do both, with passion and compassion for child, mother, and all those concerned.

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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her 2005 trip to Canada

“We wish you to know that we acknowledge your reign as an undeserved gift from God Himself, and count it a joy to name you in our public prayers on many occasions in our parishes across the country.”

So writes President Robert Bugbee of Lutheran Church–Canada in a letter congratulating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the Diamond Anniversary of her reign. On February 6, 2012 the Queen is celebrating sixty years as monarch of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

In June 2011, delegates to Lutheran Church–Canada’s ninth convention adopted a resolution calling on the church to “publicly and solemnly thank God for the servanthood of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, the Queen of Canada, on her diamond anniversary,” noting that “the Canadian people, together with others in the Commonwealth and throughout the world, have benefited from her example, wisdom, and devotion to her tasks.”

The resolution also called on congregations to remember this milestone in their prayers near its February date. Earlier in January, Lutheran Church–Canada presented congregations with suggested prayers to mark the anniversary. “Almighty God, bless this day Your servant, Elizabeth, our Queen as she celebrates her diamond jubilee on the throne of this land,” begins one such prayer. “We joyfully give You our grateful thanks and praise for her long and faithful reign over us. Grant her, we pray, continued health and strength in the days and years to come, that we may continue to know Your peace under her good and gracious dominion.”

In his letter to the Queen, President Bugbee notes that we are enjoined by Scripture to pray “for kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1). But he further asserts that, “we are not only bound by duty, but are also glad and grateful to do so.” “You have borne a heavy burden of leadership for an extraordinarily long period of sixty years,” he writes, “with dignity and faithfulness.”

President Bugbee was privileged to meet the Queen during her 2010 tour of Canada at a State Dinner held in her honour. He concludes his letter to Her Majesty on behalf of Lutheran Church–Canada with the following words: “May [God] grant us the favour of counting ourselves your humble and obedient servants for many years to come.”

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Image courtesy of the Government of Canada.

Frieda Fink

Family friends and members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Elmira, Ontario gathered Saturday, January 28 to give thanks to God for the life and service of Frieda Fink, founder of Lutheran Braille Workers – Canada. She was 93 years old. For her funeral service, Frieda picked the Bible verse: “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

In addition to her work with LBWC, Frieda served many years as the church secretary at St. Paul’s and was deeply involved with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML). Her connections with LWML set the stage for service to the blind.

In 1969 as the president of the LWML Ontario District she attended a league Board of Directors meeting in St. Louis where she first heard about a Braille work centre in Louisiana. It sparked Frieda’s interest. A year later at an LWML convention in Louisville, Helene Loewe, then executive director of Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW), told the women about the Braille ministry. She explained how teams of volunteers in congregations create Braille copies of Bibles and send them around the world. In Frieda’s words, “That was it! I was hooked!” The thought of people with no knowledge of Braille bringing the Word of God to the sightless, was the opportunity of a lifetime. Frieda opened the first Braille Work Centre in Canada in 1974 at her home congregation, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Elmira.

Others learned of Elmira’s work centre and in 1979 Diana Lund established the second centre in Oakville, Ont. Others opened in the following years eventually growing the number to ten. The centres in Canada were branches of the US-based parent organization, but Canadian tax policy forced the Canadian offices to make a hard choice: either the six Canadian centres must close down or LBW in Canada could take a leap of faith and incorporate in Canada. Frieda and three others formed a task force to investigate how to incorporate. In October 1992 Lutheran Braille Workers – Canada incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization with its own constitution and by-laws. Frieda was president; Marjorie Kohl, vice president; Marie Hartwig, treasurer; and Mable Brown was secretary.

Current LBW-C president, Judy Obelnycki joined the board shortly after incorporation and said “Frieda became my mentor. She explained how she considers it “an honour and a privilege to have known her and I appreciated deeply her advice and support. She was a very gracious and graceful lady with a warm sense of humour.”

Today, LBW-C has eight work centres—seven in Ontario and one in Regina. The 210 volunteers produce 5000 volumes annually in such languages as English. French, Amharic, Kiswahili, Indonesian and Estonian which are sent around the world. Lutheran Braille Workers – Canada is a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada. For more information go to www.lbw-c.org/ or visit the LBW-C Facebook page.

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Ian Adnams is the former Director of Communications for Lutheran Church–Canada and past editor of The Canadian Lutheran.

With additional information from Judy Obelnycki, President of Lutheran Braille Workers-Canada.

The James Ossuary on display at the Royal Ontario Museum from November 15, 2002 to January 5, 2003.

by Stephen Chambers

What does archaeology have to do with faith? That was the big question lurking below the surface in a special evening course Rev. Dr. Steve Chambers taught at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in October and November, 2011. The class was the latest instalment of the long-running Quest series that the seminary offers twice a year, featuring topics aimed at a wide audience. 

For a while, archaeology was pretty confident it could dig up proof that the Bible was true. Unfortunately, few excavations produced the desired results, and in some cases, they directly challenged the biblical accounts. A famous example is Jericho, where the work of Kathleen Kenyon and others seemed to contradict the account of the city’s fall in Judges 6.

It’s not surprising then that some Christians consider archaeology rather useless. To them it makes little difference whether you live in first-century Corinth or twenty-first century Calgary, since all people are equally sinful on the one hand, and equally justified on account of Christ on the other (Romans 3:23-24).

Thankfully, a third option has emerged in the last few decades. It resists the naïve hope that archaeology can somehow prove faith, because it recognizes that faith is always a gift of the Holy Spirit, and a matter of trust and belief. At the same time, this third perspective also resists the claim that differences between the biblical world and our own are irrelevant, because it recognizes God works within history not apart from it. The Bible, in other words, grows in meaning when we take its groundedness seriously. Yes, God acted to reconcile all people to Himself through Christ—that’s the universal element of faith, right there. Yet, God chose to send His Son into our world as a first-century Jewish peasant in Palestine—not a twenty-first century, middle-class Canadian.

God chose to send His Son into our world as a first-century Jewish peasant in Palestine—not a twenty-first century, middle-class Canadian.

So how exactly does archaeology help us better understand Jesus’ ministry? As the Quest course showed, this question can be explored in two ways. One can begin with archaeology, as Dr. Chambers did in presenting his personal “top ten” list of artifacts and sites related to the Gospel accounts. Or one can begin with the Gospels, as he did by discussing a number of texts on which archaeology sheds light.

Some Gospel-related artifacts are familiar to many people already. The James Ossuary, for instance, made a big splash when it first became public in 2002. It could very well be the box in which the bones of James, Jesus’ half-brother and the author of the New Testament epistle bearing his name, were buried. Another well-known artifact is the first-century fishing boat that surfaced in 1986 when the water level in the Sea of Galilee dropped dramatically. Its size and construction illustrate the kind of boat that Jesus and His disciples frequently used (Mark 1:20; 4:1, 35).

Sea of Galilee Boat

The most important archaeological site related to Jesus’ ministry is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It’s a massive, chaotic, decrepit complex in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City. Yet, according to many archaeologists, it sprawls directly atop the places where Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. In fact, the only other site that is equally tightly tied to Jesus’ presence is Peter’s house in Capernaum, atop which at least three churches were built between the first and fifth centuries. There’s a very good chance this was the actual home Jesus lived in during the three years of His Galilean ministry (Mark 2:1, 15).

Gospel texts spring to life in new ways too when archaeological insights are taken into account. Jesus’ youthful career as a builder, for instance (Mark 6:2-3), takes fuller shape when we realize that He lived only six kilometres away from the huge new city of Sepphoris that was being built right at that time. Were He and Joseph employed in that project? Later, Jesus centred His ministry on the towns of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida (Matthew 11:20-23). Although only a few kilometres apart, archaeology has shown that they differed from each other dramatically in economic activity, religious influences, and even construction materials and methods. Already in the first century, this area was just as diverse and multicultural as many parts of Canada are today!

Of course, none of this really proves anything. It’s unlikely that anybody will become a Christian because of an archaeological site or artifact—though, granted, stranger things have happened. At the same time, it’s hard to see why anyone would dismiss archaeology’s usefulness. Places and objects from first-century Palestine give us a glimpse of the world Jesus lived in, and reinforce the reality of His incarnation. And so: what does archaeology have to do with faith? Plenty!

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Rev. Dr. Stephen Chambers is Associate Professor of New Testament Exegetical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton, Alberta). For the past few years, he has led groups of Canadians to take part in excavations in Hippos, Israel. To take part in 2012′s dig, see the invitation here.

Excavation at Hippos

Concordia Lutheran Seminary extends an open invitation to take part in the dig at Hippos, Israel. The group leaves Canada on Thursday June 28 and returns Monday, July 16. An extension is available for those who would like to stay longer.

Two weeks (10 days) of digging at the North-East Insula Project, excavating a Byzantine church complex, will be interspersed with weekend tours of the Sea of Galilee region and the Jerusalem area.

The anticipated cost per person is about $4,500 per person. This includes return airfare (for most Canadian cities), ground transportation, accommodations, most meals, and most admission fees.

For more information, and an application form, visit the seminary’s website. The application deadline is March 15, but earlier applications are strongly encouraged.

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This is my Son… the Christ?

Over the past few months, Wycliffe Bible Translators (the largest Bible translation organization in the world) and its partner SIL International have come under fire for producing Muslim-friendly translations of the Scriptures which replace references to the “Father,” “Son,” and “Son of God” with less familial language—ostensibly so as not to offend Muslims when witnessing. In one Arabic translation, for example, the word “Father” is replaced by “Lord” and the word “Son” by “Messiah.” Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet of God, but not the Son of God—to them, the latter phrase implies God had sexual relations with Mary.

The practice of dropping “Son of God” when translating the Bible has received widespread criticism. In June 2011, the Presbyterian Church of America approved an overture calling “unfaithful to God’s revealed Word” any translation that removes “from the text references to God as ‘Father’ or Jesus as ‘Son.’” In response, Wycliffe/SIL developed a new set of guidelines affirming their commitment to Trinitarian theology and suggesting that ‘Son of God’ and related familial language should normally be maintained” when translating—but not, they continued, “at the expense of comprehension.” That decision has failed to placate critics; a petition recently posted online has already generated more than 2,800 signatures.

In his “Open Letter on Translating,” Martin Luther said that it is important to translate Scripture in such a way that the common person—even little children—can understand it. “We must be guided by their tongue, the manner of their speech, and do our translating accordingly,” he writes. But how far is too far? When does cultural sensitivity in translation obscure the actual Gospel? We asked a few Lutheran thinkers for their takes on the issue:

Rev. Dr. Stephen Chambers
Associate Professor of New Testament Exegetical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton, Alberta)

I don’t know if this is part of their conscious motivation or not, but those who favour dropping the term ‘Son of God’ might be able to claim some authority from St. Paul. He was flexible in mission, willing to become all things to all people in order to save some (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). According to this principle, it seems wrong to insist on the use of any one particular term in expressing the faith. Every translation of the Gospel from one language into another gives up some of the nuance of the source language in order to gain a better hearing in the target language. That’s just how translation works. If total consistency is the number-one priority, shouldn’t we all be reading the Scriptures in their original languages? So, from this angle, these translators seem justified in giving up the term ‘Son of God’ for the sake of mission.

On the other hand, there’s another principle drawn from the same letter, by the same author, that’s even more important. Paul knew that the Holy Spirit can and does overcome all kinds of barriers in bringing people to faith. The greatest offense is the Gospel itself: Christ crucified for us (1 Cor 1:22-29). Despite that offense, the Spirit somehow enables Christians to say, “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor 12:3). And this, I think, changes the discussion completely. Sure, the term ‘Son of God’ may be offensive to many Muslims. But don’t we believe the Holy Spirit can and will overcome that offense, precisely by working through—not around—the words of Scripture? The translator’s job, from this angle, is to be courageous enough to say what the Bible itself says. That’s where the power to change hearts and lives comes from: from the Spirit working through the Word.

The term ‘Son of God’ may be offensive to Muslims. But don’t we believe the Holy Spirit can and will overcome that offensive precisely by working through the words of Scripture?

In particular, the phrase ‘Son of God’ is a key expression in the Word. The God we worship is not remote and inaccessible, the way Muslims picture Allah. Rather, God can and does seek intimate and familial relationships—within the mystery of the Trinity itself, and also with you and me. Paul did not mean that he was willing to change Christian doctrine, when he talked about being flexible for the sake of the Gospel. Regardless how offensive the term ‘Son of God’ may be, Christians should never be willing to let it be translated away for the sake of mission. Proper mission always promotes pure doctrine.

Rev. David Maffett
Executive Director of Lutheran Bible Translators of Canada

Proponents of excluding the terms ‘father’ and ‘son’ argue these words express a biological relationship resulting from sexual activity, and that other words can be substituted to express a social father/son relationship—that is to say, a non-biological relationship that is not the result of sexual activity. They argue that the Greek words pater (father) and uios (son) are social in meaning rather than biological. One article, for example, says, “It is important to realize that to express divine familial relationships, the Bible uses the Greek and Hebrew social familial terms, not the biological ones.”

But it’s not quite that simple. A quick look in at the Greek shows that word pater is used with teknon and pais (both words for ‘child’: Matthew 10:17 and Mark 9:24 respectively)—as well as with uios (the word for ‘son’ under debate: Lk 15:11-32)—in clear biological uses of the term. Zechariah is called John’s pater (Luke 1:67) and Paul circumcised Timothy because his pater was a Greek. So evidently the meaning of pater and uios are not limited to “social familial terms.” To claim that they are never used in biological sense when describing the relationship between Jesus and God the Father would be rather difficult.

In fact, the New Testament clearly establishes that the relationship between the Father and the Son is a sort of “biological” one. The Son comes from the Father and is of the same nature. Because we understand that the nature of this “biological” relationship cannot be the result of human sexual activity, we almost exclusively use the word ‘begotten’ to express this relationship between the Father and the Son. The problem is we don’t have a word in any human language to describe the begetting of the Son by the Father, nor the exact relationship between them. How could we? It’s something outside human knowledge and experience! But ‘father’ and ‘son’ are the terms God uses to reveal himself—much as He uses marriage language in the Old Testament to describe the relationship between God and Israel.

The relationship between the Father and the Son is a sort of “biological” one. The Son comes from the Father and is of the same nature.

Should we give up God’s chosen expressions just because they can be misunderstood or – maybe more accurately – be used by others to create misunderstanding? There are many language specialists in Muslim countries who say this supposed linguistic dilemma is really not a problem! We better think this out a little longer.

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“What does this mean?” is a new series dedicated to exploring contemporary issues from a distinctly Lutheran perspective.

President Bugbee and Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel visit with LCC's Central America missionaries

by Leonardo Neitzel 

In early January, President Robert Bugbee and I had a very special meeting with the Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) missionaries and their spouses working in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras. We met with these five missionaries and their wives shortly after the close of Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua’s (ILSN) convention. It was a real blessing to listen as the missionaries shared about the different frontiers to which the Lord has called them. There are indeed many difficulties in the various mission fields in Central America. Some missionaries lack private transportation and have to rely solely on public transportation, which in many cases is very slow and inconvenient – particularly since missionaries need to carry all the equipment necessary to lead services and conduct visitations to members and prospects. There are large distances to cover and doing it by taxi is nearly impossible – our missionary in Costa Rica, for example, has very high expenditures related to taxi use. Other challenges have also presented themselves, including illness in the missionaries’ families, loneliness in the work, the high cost of living in some areas, lack of teaching tools and teaching resources, and lack of quality facilities in which to hold worship services.

It is gratifying as a result to witness the missionaries’ continued faithfulness and commitment together with their families to the Lord’s mission. Even under heavy pressure from all sides, there is joy. They are out and about regularly, proclaiming the Gospel message to many.

Some of the missionaries reported their efforts in canvassing large sections of their communities: 960 homes in one year. As a result, they now visit 40 families on a regular basis. Others reported on the great support they have received from short-term missions teams visiting Nicaragua. One missionary shared excitement over plans to host a group from a Canadian congregation in 2013: the Canadians purchased property for the mission this past year, and will be sending a group in 2013 to help build a church on the property. Two missionaries are planning to have organized their their first or second congregation by this coming year. Still others reported on initiatives to involve seminary students in the teaching of Bible classes at public grade schools near Managua. Our response to all of this is that “the LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:3).

Each missionary had an opportunity to address the ILSN convention and report on their mission work. All of them expressed gratitude to the Lord for leading and strengthening them as they sow the seed of God’s Word. They expressed their gratitude also to LCC for supporting their work. The convention acknowledged and applauded them for their efforts in the work and for their faithfulness.

Some reported about their work with tears in their eyes – a symbol of the bitter-sweet experience of those who proclaim the Gospel “in season and out of season.” We commended each one of these servants for the work they are carrying on for the Lord’s sake. We comforted them with the words of Scripture that “he who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:6).

Please pray regularly for all of Lutheran Church–Canada’s missionaries and their families – not only those in Central America, but in all countries where our church is presently doing mission work. If you feel the Lord putting in your heart the desire to send a special card or message to an LCC missionary and their family, please contact LCC’s head office. We would be happy to provide you with contact information. As you pray for our missionaries and pastors, I encourage you to read and meditate on the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9, especially these two verses: “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!… To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:16, 22).

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Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel is Lutheran Church–Canada’s executive for missions and social ministry.

Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch

In December 2011, the Board of Governors for Concordia University College of Alberta (CUCA) appointed Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch to the position of Vice-President International. Dr. Zeuch – who has been appointed to a two-year pro tempore term – will lead CUCA in its new international strategy, as it seeks to more actively recruit international students. The appointment begins April 1, 2012.

Dr. Zeuch, a Brazilian, is fluent in Portuguese, German, French, and English. He has broad-based administrative experience. Prior to coming to CUCA, he served as president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (Edmonton, Alberta) for almost five years. He formerly worked in a senior administrative capacity at the International Office of the Universidade Luterana do Brasil (Lutheran University of Brazil).

Dr. Zeuch has also been appointed to the Chair of the Master of Arts program in Biblical and Christian Studies. The role includes duties in administration and recruitment, in addition to classes taught as a visiting professor.

Rev. Sándor Argüello

Following a three-year battle with cancer, Rev. Sándor Argüello, Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) first missionary to Nicaragua, was called home by his Lord Saturday January 14, 2012 in Managua, Nicaragua. He was in his home city to pursue alternate medical treatment.

In accordance with Nicaraguan law, he was buried this morning (Monday, January 16). His wife, Digna arrived late Sunday evening from Edmonton for the service held in the cemetery chapel. A bus carried Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (ILSN) pastors, deaconesses, and church members from the mission centre in Chinandega to attend the service.

LCC’s mission executive Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel was in Nicaragua and preached at the funeral service, which was jointly conducted by current ILSN president Rev. Luis Turcios and president-elect Rev. Marvin Picado.

Rev. Argüello was born in Nicaragua but came to Canada with his family as refugees in 1988 during the Nicaraguan civil war between the Sandinistas and Contras. Settling in Ottawa he became involved with LCC’s Spanish-language mission and received encouragement to pursue seminary studies. He graduated from Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario) in 1995 and served at Zion Lutheran Church in Rimbey, Alberta for two years. He accepted a call from Lutheran Church–Canada in 1997 to serve as a missionary evangelist in Nicaragua.

In an interview with The Canadian Lutheran before leaving to serve in his homeland he explained that “in Nicaragua and Spanish countries, everybody knows and believes there is a God, and that God is very righteous and just. When we came to the Lutheran church we realized that the same God who is so righteous and so strong is the same God who sent His own Son to die for us. So we saw the other face of God… Our work there will be to tell them that there is hope in Jesus.”

The Lord provided a catalyst for proclamation in October 1998 when Hurricane Mitch hit the Chinandega area where Rev. Argüello served. The torrential rain caused a mudslide killing more than 3000 people. The pastor, his wife, and members of his young, small congregation mobilized to provide the hope of the Gospel alongside emergency relief food and supplies. The pastor’s ongoing communication via fax and email provided ongoing information about the disaster, which generated an unprecedented outpouring of financial support from LCC. Hurricane Mitch was a turning point in the life of the mission as congregations became established around Chinandega.

Within ten years, Rev. Argüello presided over ILSN’s founding convention in January 2008. He resigned his call effective December 31, 2008 and returned to Canada where he remained on the roster of LCC’s ABC District while undergoing cancer treatments.

“In a very real way, Rev. Sandor Argüello will always be thought of as a father of the Nicaraguan church,” commented LCC President Robert Bugbee. “My recent attendance at its Third Convention left me amazed again at how the Lord started with the efforts of this man and planted a family that is growing and maturing.” The president, who wanted to visit Rev. Argüello in Managua but was unable due to the pastor’s weakened immune system, encouraged prayers for the Argüello family. “I never imagined his loved ones would have to say farewell so soon. God keep them close to the Christ whom Sandor was honoured to trust and confess.”

by James Morgan

The Scriptures tell us that the lives of all people are sacred – whether those people are elderly, disabled, or still growing in their mothers’ wombs. Unfortunately, not everyone shares this belief in the sanctity of life. Abortion is legal in Canada, and recent events remind us that many would like to see euthanasia and assisted suicide legalized as well. It is timely therefore that Lutheran Church–Canada should mark its first ever Sanctity of Life Sunday this coming Sunday January 15, 2012.

Clifford Pyle, President of Lutherans for Life – Canada, is pleased that a synod-wide Sunday is being devoted to the sanctity of life. “Lutherans for Life – Canada was created for exactly this purpose, and that is to educate fellow Lutherans on life issues,” he says. “We very much need to educate Christians on the abortion issue, as many seem apathetic to the evil of abortion; and we need to see God’s grace be made known to post-abortive women and other family members who suffer tremendous physiological effects from their actions.”

Support for Sanctity of Life Sunday extends beyond Lutherans for Life – Canada. Theresa Stephenson, an LCC member from St. Catharines, Ontario, is a third year nursing student at the University of Ottawa and President of University of Ottawa Students for Life. She says current political and cultural conditions have made the Sunday necessary. “Abortion, euthanasia, and other life issues are a sad result of Adam’s fall into sin,” she explains, “but Christ the new Adam promises life and salvation in His Word and Sacrament.”

For President Stephenson, Sanctity of Life Sunday is not only about recognizing the evils of abortion and euthanasia, but also of hope for the future –taking comfort in the knowledge Christ can influence opinion, legislation, and practice regarding life issues. She reflects: “Although we pause on this particular Sunday to contemplate the attacks on human life in Canada, the Christian proclamation of the Gospel has not changed, nor has its constant refrain: Christ Jesus took on human flesh to redeem all human flesh!”

Jesus took on human flesh to redeem all human flesh!

The resolution to establish Sanctity of Life Sunday was passed by delegates at LCC’s triennial convention in Hamilton Ontario in June 2011. A January date was selected because of its proximity to the Church’s traditional observance of the murder of the Holy Innocents by Herod.

If you’ve ever wondered where we got the Bible, Concordia Lutheran Seminary’s (Edmonton, Alberta) latest Quest course is for you. Rev. Jonathan Kraemer, Assistant Professor of Exegetical Theology, is leading a four-part study on the origins of the Bible, Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (MST) beginning January 17. Best of all, it’s free! Participants can attend online or in person at the seminary.

The course takes place in the seminary’s distance-education classroom and is streamed online. If you have a computer with internet fast enough to use Skype or watch YouTube videos, you are ready to participate. When the classes are streaming, just visit the Quest classroom online.

Some Bible study groups have taken advantage of the online classes in the past by gathering where they can project the lectures on a screen.

Quest is a continuing education program presented by Concordia Lutheran Seminary. It provides lay people the opportunity to explore their faith more deeply. Topics of recent Quest courses have included Jesus and archaeology, what it means to be Lutheran, and world religions. The latest series is provided free of charge, but welcomes donations.

For more information or to register for the free classes, contact Sandra Esperanza at development@concordiasem.ab.ca or call (780) 474-1468 ext. 229.

Rev. Edmundo Retana and his wife Deaconess Betty Retana pose with the congregation in Cartago, Costa Rica

by Leonardo Neitzel 

Officially, the Republic of Costa Rica has 4.64 million inhabitants. Some estimates, however, put the population closer to six million, with nearly two million of them being Nicaraguan immigrants. The country shares borders with Nicaragua and Panama and stretches along the coasts of the Caribbean and Pacific seas. The capital—San José—is located in the central province, and its population was last listed in 2006 as approximately 366,000 inhabitants. Including its extended metropolitan area, however, brings the number to nearly a third of the nation’s entire population.

Costa Rica is a unique country with beautiful sea shores, vegetation, birds of all colors, sizes and shapes—as well as a great number of volcanoes. The country also boasts the most stable democracy in Latin America. Since 1993 it has had no standing army. Coffee, bananas, and textile products are its main exports, and a source of major revenue. San José has several museums, theatres, and large government buildings, and is proud of its architectural, cultural, and educational advances.

Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) started its mission in Costa Rica several years ago when it commissioned its first missionary in partnership with the Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (ILSN – “Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua”). Today Rev. Edmundo Retana and his wife Betty carry on the mission work with great blessings and vision for the future. The mission is situated in Cartago, in capital of the province with the same name. Betty graduated as a LCC deaconess in 2011 and started her work in September of the same year. Her main focus is the coordination and development of Christian children’s education in Cartago. She also leads Bible studies for a small group of women. They gather regularly for Bible study, worship and fellowship.

Rev. Retana and his wife are reaching out to their surrounding communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Currently a group of 15 to twenty people gather regularly for worship, and their goal is to have a congregation officially established by the year 2013. One of their main focuses is the training and equipping of lay leaders who already becoming involved in the front line of mission outreach. They have identified three potential candidates for theological training, but the difficulties of travelling to Nicaragua for education are significant: work schedules, schools, and families all make it difficult to leave Costa Rica. In some ways, the Costa Rican Lutheran church is calling out for help to Nicaragua in the same way Paul once heard in a dream: “Come to Macedonia and help us.” We pray and trust that the Lord will show us the way to solve this problem.

The small group in Costa Rica is growing spiritually and has a high mission vision for their country. Their short-term focus is to establish a church base in the capital San José. Currently, they rent a small place where six people gather weekly for Bible studies. They hope to publicize the place better so that in time it becomes a national centre for Lutherans in the country. They also intend to offer free music lessons, and invite people from the Cartago congregation to join them for special celebrations fat Advent, Christmas, Easter, and the commemoration of the Reformation.

Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel conducts a baptism during his recent trip to Cartago, Costa Rica

They acknowledge and rejoice over mission growth in Nicaragua and are grateful for the support they receive from LCC and the ILSN, but they do not want to be compared to Nicaragua church’s extraordinary growth. They are growing slowly and steadily, and their long-term goal is to establish mission outposts in each of the seven provinces of Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican church received the assistance of three short-term mission teams, and hopes to receive the same number of teams in 2012-13. They are grateful for the support they have received over the years from the Lutheran Womens Missionary League—Canada and the Concordia Lutheran Mission Society. One of their major needs at the present is a vehicle for missionary work, since transportation expenses are very high. At current, they rely on taxis and buses, but bus service between mission locations is very slow. Another need is additional financial support for the children’s education program, especially as related to Christian education resources and food.

We thank our Lord God for His mission work in Costa Rica and pray that He would continue to bless the sowing of the Seed of His Word in the lives of Costa Rica’s people. If you would like to know more about LCC’s mission in Costa Rica or to support our mission there, please, contact Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel at missions@lutheranchurch.ca.

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Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel is the executive for missions and social ministry for Lutheran Church–Canada.

Parliament

by James Morgan

 A characteristic of Canada’s post-World War II history has been the promotion of human rights and freedoms, not just within the country, but on a global level. Now, the federal government is attempting to ensure religious freedom worldwide can be enjoyed. During the 2011 federal election campaign, the Conservative Party promised to create an Office of Religious Freedom within the Department of Foreign Affairs, a promise that was reiterated in the Speech from the Throne after the election.

“This office will be created to promote and protect freedom of religion and belief, consistent with core Canadian values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Most importantly, it will demonstrate that Canada truly is a free society,” said Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird in remarks made at the opening of stakeholder consultations on the establishment of the office.

The Minister added that Canada is in a unique position to encourage religious freedom in other nations because of its own society being composed of many ethnicities and religions. He referred to attacks on Coptic Christians during the following year as one example of how the office could promote tolerance in Egypt. In another example, he said, “I stand with Roman Catholic priests and other Christian clergy and their laity, as they are driven underground to worship in China while their leaders are detained.

The plan has come under criticism from mainstream media with accusations that the office could be misused to attract ethnic support to the Conservative Party, something Minister Baird strongly denies: “Freedom of religion is one of the first things in the Charter (of Rights and Freedoms),” he said, “It’s one of the first things in the Bill of Rights, it’s front and centre in the UN Declaration of Human Rights—it’s an essential human right; I don’t see any concern about that at all.” Other organizations such as Amnesty International Canada have also expressed concerns about the closed-door meetings on the proposed office: “There is such complete secrecy about it,” Amnesty head Alex Neve told the CBC, noting the organization was not invited to attend consultations.

Former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, now a professor at the University of Toronto, has offered cautious support for the Office of Religious Freedom, as long as it does not become influenced by groups the Conservatives wish to establish a support base among, or ignore other human rights concerns. In the Globe and Mail on January 4, Professor Ignatieff said the office could “turn a Canadian spotlight on people in danger.”

Now that the consultation process is complete, the government is expected to officially announce the establishment of the Office of Religious Freedom and details of its mandate and function in the coming months.

Newly elected President Picado reads from Scripture while President Bugbee looks on

by Robert Bugbee

Dear friends,

It has been an encouraging (and, oh yes, warm!) few days here at the Third Convention of the Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (ILSN) (Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua), which ended Sunday at the Mission Centre Chapel near Chinandega. Delegates elected Rev. Marvin Antonio Donaire Picado as their new president over incumbent Rev. Luis Antonio Diaz Turcios. Rev. Picado serves a three point parish in the towns of La Joya, El Piloto, and Rancheria.

It is great to see the Nicaraguans learning how to structure their work, compile reports, and become accountable to their congregations and members. The number of congregations – now standing at 22 – has not increased significantly in the past two years, but I understand that this is largely due to a shortage of available pastors. The new class of pastoral and deaconess candidates includes 12 men destined for pastoral ministry and 19 women training to serve as deaconesses. What a strong response and interest! The synod is anxious to expand its work to places like Corinto, a Pacific seaside community near Chinandega (headquarters of the ILSN), but also as far away as Bluefields, a former English settlement on the Atlantic side which is distant and isolated from Nicaragua’s “mainstream,” so to speak.

Dr. Leonardo Neitzel and I both had opportunity to do teaching and preaching during these days. Sunday morning’s large closing service of Holy Communion was impressive; there is a strong receptivity among these people to the Word. I’m always amazed at the mixture of joy and earnestness you find in their services. At the close of the service, outgoing President Luis formally installed the new leaders of the Synod, who will officially begin their duties February 7.

Outgoing President Turcios presides at the convention's opening service

It’s 32 Celsius today in Chinandega – more like a Canadian July than January! They see me struggle with the heat and tell me to be glad I’ve come now, rather than in the rainy season, when temperatures can soar as high as 41 Celsius with lots of humidity.

I do hope you’ll keep the synod’s new leaders down here in your prayers, and I thank God when I hear the reports of individual LCC members and congregations who have made the trip to Nicaragua to teach children, to build chapels, to do veterinary work, and countless other needed tasks. It is an honour also to stand among the members of this young church and to tell them on your behalf of the love you have for them, which, in the end, is kindled by the love of Jesus Christ Himself, who binds us together across oceans, miles, and borders!

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Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee is President of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Boys in Somotillo, Nicaragua show their colouring expertise

by Jane Ford

From December 12-18, 2011, pastors and deaconesses from Iglesia Luterana Sínod de Nicaragua (Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua) (ILSN) completed a test run of a new free Spanish-language vacation Bible school (VBS) program.

The process began almost a year ago when veteran leader of VBS teams to Nicaragua, Jane Ford, volunteered to work with Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) to write a 5-day program using already-tested strategies from previous experiences. Following doctrinal review of the material, the lessons were translated into Spanish by Rev Sándor Arguëllo, retired LCC missionary to Nicaragua. Artwork for the VBS was provided by 18-year old Rebecca King with preliminary illustrations by Suzanne Korsch, both of Faith Lutheran Church (Kitchener, Ontario). The result was 80 pages of resources.

The lessons focus on Christ and use a selection of Bible stories that include children and titled “Niños de la Biblia” (Children of the Bible). The 10 Commandments, the Creed, and daily Bible verses were introduced throughout the week. A special component of the lessons was the option to conduct an adult VBS class for parents who bring their children to the school. Guidelines on parenting and general Christian living were also included.

Canadians assisting with VBS in Nicaragua recognize the escalating costs of Spanish resources both to buy and ship. These increase exponentially when 200 or more children are expected. By keeping material simple and reproducible, the Nicaraguans themselves will continue to use the program at minimal costs.

For ILSN Executives President Rev Luis Turcios and Secretary Deaconess Carmen Martinez who reviewed the material, it was a delight to read, both for content and for ease of adaptability for large or small groups. “This is exactly what we need” smiled President Luis, who visited the test run of the VBS in Somotillo, Nicaragua, a remote community where few Christian resources are available.

“Niños de la Biblia” was formally presented as a gift from Lutheran Church–Canada to the Lutheran churches in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica at the 2012 ILSN National Convention in January. Plans are also underway to translate the material into Portuguese for use in Brazil and into French for use in Quebec.

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Jane Ford has visited Nicaragua regularly since 2006. She serves on the Committee for Missions and Social Ministry Services for Lutheran Church–Canada, and is a member of Faith Lutheran (Kitchener, Ontario).

by Peggy Pedersen

As the new year gets underway, two major changes are happening in my life. Number one, I am looking for work, as the contract with my previous employer has expired after three years. It would be a comfort at this time to have the familiar surroundings of my church where I have been worshipping. But – and this is the second change – on January 15 they are decommissioning our building. For the next year and a half we will be holding services in a seniors lodge while our new church home (which will be part of a new seniors residential building) is constructed. This will undoubtedly entail many changes.

One thing I will greatly miss is a place to kneel for holy communion. This matters to me because when I returned to Christ after many years, I had just begun to recover from a knee injury. I was only a couple of weeks post-crutches when I took my first communion at Redeemer Lutheran. I had not been able to rest on my knee for two years and was not sure I could do so now, but it meant a great deal for me to kneel before my Lord to receive Him. I decided, no matter what, I would kneel.

When I knelt that first morning, I was not sure whether I would experience intense pain. I also worried whether I would be able to get back up from that position. But by God’s grace, I was able to kneel and rise, and have been able to do so ever since. Nowhere have I felt more at home than when kneeling at that altar for confession, absolution, and holy communion. Yet that very altar – along with the entire church building – will soon be gone.

As we face changes in our lives, there is always great uncertainty. Will it be all right? Having been brought to our knees metaphorically, will we be able to rise again?

If we remember that we are in His hands, and we come before Him trusting in His mercy and care, He will not fail us. Knowing that it is our Heavenly Father who provides all our needs soothes our anxieties in the face of loss and change. He has the means to provide for us, physically and spiritually.

He is our rock, our strong tower.

Everything around us – even the things which seem stable – can suddenly change. It is nice to know, therefore, that we have One who does not change. He is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He is our rock, our strong tower. We cannot see what the future holds; it is hidden from our eyes. But really, all we need to see is Jesus. Because He has redeemed us with His own blood, we are His, and we can know that He will care for us no matter what else changes.

“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
O Israel, the one who formed you says:
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

No circumstance can separate us from His love, and though we do not see the way ahead of us, we can trust that He is with us, He knows the way, and He is leading us. And that suffices.

“I have made, and I will bear,” he comforts us, “I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4). His promises are sure and so we know He will never forsake us. Our church building may be gone but the church of “living stones” will never go. And when we approach the altar to receive Him, wherever the church gathers, He will be there to meet us and give Himself to us in His own precious body and blood to forgive. He will strengthen and sustain us, and someday lead us Home.

——————–

Peggy Pedersen is a writer in Victoria, B.C. where she is a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

President Bugbee

by Robert Bugbee

Dear friends,

It’s a warm Wednesday evening here in Chinandega, the city three hours from Managua where our partner church in Nicaragua has its headquarters and maintains seminary training.  I took to the air January 3 and flew from Winnipeg … to Denver … to Houston … and to Managua to prepare for the church’s Third Regular Convention, which will happen here this coming weekend, January 7-8.

The development of the “Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua” (Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua) or “ILSN” is such a heartwarming thing.  Beginning with the efforts of one evangelistic missionary in the late 1990s, several dozen congregations and preaching stations now comprise the young church.  These believers have also taken responsibility for adjacent areas of Central America and have missionaries both in neighbouring Honduras (to the north) and Costa Rica (to the south).

Lutheran Church-Canada pastors and seminary professors have done a loving work in coming here time and again to provide instruction for pastoral and deaconess candidates, as well as continuing education for these servants after they are ordained or consecrated.  The Concordia Mission Society, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League-Canada, and the Schwan Foundation have been other strong partners in getting things financed, planted and watered.  And how I thank God for our wonderful former Synod president, Dr. Ralph Mayan, who has repeatedly come here for months at a time to provide a wise, fatherly presence for the LCC mission effort here!

Of course, like all young churches (you can read about some in the New Testament), our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters have their scrapes and struggles, their differing opinions and personalities.  If the last convention I attended here two years ago was any indication, they find ways to deal with their challenges leaning on God’s Holy Spirit and strong in their confession of Christ.

I’ll try to write again later when things start to happen, but here are a few items for your prayer list over the next several days:  (1) Ask God to bless the Bible studies I will conduct on Christian stewardship on Friday afternoon before the convention begins; (2) Pray that the Lord will bless the travel of those who are driving in on buses, motorbikes and in cars; (3) Join me in praying that He will bless both the talking and listening that happen this weekend; and (4) Beg the Lord to open our Canadian eyes to see and treasure all the things a young church can teach us about love for Christ, zeal for His work, and a willingness to learn.

On the road again for Christ and for you,

Robert Bugbee

——————–

Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee is President of Lutheran Church–Canada

The Outreach Ministry Committee at Historic St. Paul’s in Kitchener prepares warm winter clothing for neighbours in need.

“Why are you doing this for us?” Members of Historic St. Paul’s (Kitchener, Ont.) who volunteer at its new outreach often hear and joyfully answer that question as they offer free food and winter clothing to people affected by poverty. 

Recently the downtown congregation has seen an increase in visits from neighbours desperate for assistance. In response it set aside Monday mornings, called for volunteers and donations, and gathered information about running a weekly outreach program. The “Community Cupboard” opened its doors last January 24. Members and friends support this ministry with donations of food, warm clothing, and money to buy items on sale.

Volunteers greet guests with hot coffee and cookies, and help them select needed clothing and food items. Christian resources, such as topical booklets from Lutheran Hour Ministries, are freely available to anyone interested.

Admittedly stepping outside their comfort zone, volunteers find great blessing in getting to know these neighbours whom we’re often tempted to avoid. Most guests express their gratitude and can’t get over the fact that the church wants to help them.

Here is where social service programs become wonderful opportunities for Christian witness, says Parish Assistant Tony Marchand, “Building relationships with the community is of most importance. Once these relationships are formed, trust is gained. Walls fall down, hardened hearts break open, and people are open for the Holy Spirit to do His work.”

While support for the program has been enthusiastic, the congregation was overwhelmed by the number of people accessing it. Between January and April it served more than 400 people. A scaled-down “Outdoor Café” began in May, offering refreshments each week and sometimes fresh produce from members’ gardens.

The congregation hopes to offer a weekly food pantry year-round. In sharing the abundance of God’s material gifts, we receive opportunities to share His greatest gift—the world’s Saviour, Jesus Christ.

If you wish to donate or want to know more about this downtown outreach, please visit Historic St. Paul’s website or contact Tony or Kathy at (519) 745-4891.

by Mathew Block

While North Americans slept soundly Christmas Eve, violence marred Christmas Day celebrations in Nigeria. In Madalla, a bomb exploded outside St. Theresa Catholic Church as parishioners left Christmas morning Mass. According to the church, the death toll stands at 43 dead and 73 injured. Churches in Joss and Gadaka were also bombed. A plot to bomb a church in Benin on New Year’s Day was reportedly foiled by security forces.

Religious unrest is common in Nigeria, where the population is split between a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south. The radical Islamist group Boko Haram instigates much of the violence, and has taken credit for the recent Christmas bombings. The past year has been particularly volatile. At least 80 people were killed in Christmas Eve bombings and subsequent clashes between Christian and Muslim youth in December 2010. Numerous killings and reprisal killings have taken place between that event and the 2011 Christmas Day bombings. On January 1 of this year, a purported spokesperson for Boko Haram issued “a three day ultimatum” to Christians living in the north “to move away.”

The unrest has led the Canadian government to advise against all non-essential travel to Nigeria, and further warn any Canadians visiting Nigeria to be “extremely vigilant around places of worship.”

Ivan Rasch notes that Lutherans in Nigeria have not been directly affected by recent terrorist attacks, but he urges Canadians to keep the situation in prayer. Rasch lives in Nigeria and serves the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as Volunteer Coordinator for English-Speaking West Africa.

Things are set to go from bad to worse after a recent decision by the Nigerian government to remove subsidies on petrol. Fuel prices have more than doubled, and violent protests have already erupted across the nation.

The convention’s theme this year is “Liberated to Serve Him Joyfully.” God-willing, Christians in Nigeria will find opportunity to witness to God’s mercy even in the midst of persecution.

“We the Christian community of this church have forgiven those who hurt us.”

At St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, that is exactly what is happening. “We the Christian community of this church,” said the congregation’s priest Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi, “have forgiven those who hurt us, those who killed us, those who murdered us.” He continued: “I call on all Christians all over the country to forgive them.”

President Paul Zabel

by Paul Zabel

It is Christmas 2011, and we are facing some of the most uncertain circumstances in generations. Some would dare ask, “Where is God in all this? Does He really care?”

We are not the only ones who have had hard times. Perhaps the saddest period in the nation of Israel’s history was during the 400 years between Malachi and Matthew. It was truly a time of darkness for the people of God. God had promised He would come again. But where was He?

In Malachi, chapter 4, God promised to send Elijah to Israel. He said: “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5). And in the Gospel of Luke we are told the angel Gabriel came to Zechariah to tell him of a son who would be born to him and his wife, Elizabeth. This son would be the one who would fulfill the prophecy recorded in Malachi. He would not be Elijah, but would be in the “spirit of Elijah.”

Jesus confirmed this, when He said: “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet, the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come” (Matt.11:11-14).

Amazing! Nothing for 400 years—now, 400 years later, God breaks His silence. He speaks of the one who was to come in the “spirit of Elijah.” When Zechariah heard the words from the angel Gabriel, he did not believe. So he was left unable to speak until John was born. Then when John was born (whom Zechariah then knew and believed to be the prelude to God’s fulfilling His promise to send the Saviour) he could speak again and responded saying: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people” (Luke 1:68).

What does this mean? It means God looked upon Israel with mercy, favour, and with eagerness to help them. This is the message Christmas brings to us too: God is eager to help us in the calamity around us.

What is going on in your life? Do you realize God cares for you? Why would God show us such mercy? Because He has a purpose for each of us. Zachariah tells us it is God’s plan “to deliver us from the hand of our enemies, that we might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before all of our days.” (Luke 1:74-75).

What is our world like? We have a Saviour. He has come to free us from the bondage we have to ourselves. He has come that we might walk in His ways. He has come to bless us. In the midst of all the confusion, all the chaos, God has sent His Son.

Christmas shows us God’s compassion, His salvation, His faithfulness to His promises, and the marvelous purpose He has for us, His people. Blessed indeed is His name!

——————–

Rev. Paul Zabel is President of the East District of Lutheran Church–Canada.

A December 19 report from the Forum on Religion and Public Life (Pew Research Center) details the spread of Christianity as a global faith. While the percentage of Christians in Europe continues to decline, the number of adherents in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Americas is growing at a rapid pace. Approximately 2.18 billion people around the world are Christian (an increase of 300 per cent over the past century), or roughly 31.7 per cent of the entire world’s population.

The study’s authors suggest that Christianity can no longer be thought of as merely a “western” faith. Christians are “so far flung,” they write, “that no single continent or region can indisputably claim to be the center of global Christianity.”

The information is welcome news to Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel. “God is accomplishing his work in this world,” he said. “Christ is clear that the Gospel is for the people of ‘all nations.’ It’s exciting to see just how much God has been opening hearts to Him around the world.” Dr. Neitzel is the executive for missions and social ministry for Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC).

While the country with the largest Protestant population remains the United States of America (where nearly half the population is Protestant), Nigeria comes in second with 60 million adherents. China takes third place with an estimated 58 million Protestants. That more than doubles the number in Germany, where the Protestant Reformation first began.

That pattern aligns closely with the Lutheran experience, as churches inspired by Martin Luther’s Reformation have spread throughout the world. A 2010 Lutheran World Federation report indicates that while Germany, the United States of America, and Sweden have the largest Lutheran populations, they are followed immediately by Indonesia, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Likewise, the International Lutheran Council (of which LCC is a member) includes church bodies from across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Rim.

“Lutheranism does not belong to any one nation or culture,” said Dr. Neitzel, who hails originally from Brazil. “It’s about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s a gift that God offers to all the people of earth; and, thanks to the Holy Spirit’s work, that’s a gift people all over the world are embracing.” LCC has welcomed and is currently training missionaries to reach out to ethnic communities throughout Canada. The success of this outreach is being seen not only at home but abroad as well, in the homelands of immigrants – “a great symbol,” says Dr. Neitzel quoting Martin Luther, “that ‘the Church comes from all nations.’”

Approximately half of the world’s Christians are Catholic, 37 per cent are Protestant, and 12 per cent are Orthodox. Lutherans make up 9.7 per cent of all Protestants. Of distinct denominational families, only the Anglican tradition (10.6 per cent) has a higher numbers of adherents among Protestants.

The report is available online from the Pew Research Center.

President Thomas Prachar

by Thomas Prachar

Christmas is a time of expectations, and we usually expect the same things to take place Christmas after Christmas. You take care of that last-minute shopping because Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without giving and receiving gifts. You make sure you have enough of the food everyone likes at this time of year, especially those cookies that go so well with the eggnog you always mix. You buy a hefty turkey. It’s never ham or beef or chicken or goose or duck or fish for Christmas—your family always has turkey! You set up the real Christmas tree you purchased, or haul the artificial tree from the basement, setting it in the same place it always has been, decorating it with the same decorations and lights. You steel yourself for the visits to and from relatives where you have to endure once again that slightly drunk and rather obnoxious uncle. You plan to go to church on Christmas Eve, anticipating a little peace and quiet after the frenzy of your Christmas preparations. At church you look forward to singing all your favourite Christmas carols so that you might finally get into that ever-elusive “Christmas spirit.”

We all have traditions our families look forward to each Christmas. Is there any wonder that depression runs rampant during the holiday season? Sometimes what we expect Christmas to be just doesn’t measure up. For some reason, the giving and receiving of gifts doesn’t seem as special this Christmas as you simply go through the motions. You’re disappointed because no store was selling your favourite cookies this year, and all the stores were out of that special ingredient for the eggnog. You purchased the store’s last turkey, and it didn’t taste as good as in other years. Because you bought new living-room furniture last fall, your Christmas tree doesn’t fit where it usually goes. Now the room looks odd without the tree in its traditional place. Your obnoxious uncle died in July, and you wish he was here, even if a little drunk. At church for some reason (you’ll have to talk to the pastor) your favourite Christmas carol wasn’t sung. How can we get into the “Christmas spirit” when our expectations aren’t met?

Our Christmas expectations may be set too high, and when the “same old thing” or what we expect to happen doesn’t, we figure we’re in for a terrible Christmas celebration. Many times we expect too much from Christmas, or too little!

We forget God often works in ways that are totally unexpected, often acting beyond our expectations. He provided a Saviour for sinful human beings, not with pomp and fanfare but having His very own Son take on human flesh. Jesus gives us much more than we expect or deserve: the forgiveness of all our sins by His innocent suffering and atoning death on the cross. And so each Christmas our God works beyond our expectations. We may expect peace on earth, presents and happiness. But Jesus gives us much more: peace, joy and blessings forevermore with Him in heaven.

At Christmas, as well as throughout the year, when we are tempted to doubt the promises of God, He does the unexpected and reassures us of His promises through His holy Word. When we sit alone at Christmas, depressed because our expectations haven’t been met, we know we are God’s dear child through the waters of Holy Baptism. When everyone in the family is arguing and there seems to be no goodwill, our Saviour does the unexpected and gives us His body and blood in, with and under bread and wine to strengthen our faith.

No matter what your expectations for Christmas, our God gives us the faith to expect the unexpected. His holiness does what our sinfulness doesn’t expect. And that means a very blessed Christmas for you!

——————–

Rev. Thomas Prachar is President of the Central District of Lutheran Church–Canada.

New seminary building in Ukraine

Reflections teaching overseas

by Edward Kettner

I arrived in Odessa on Monday, November 28. This is my fourth trip to Ukraine on behalf of LCC, and my third trip to teach seminary students. The first thing I noticed was how much easier it is to get through customs than it has been in the past. There are no longer any complicated forms to fill out; you simply show your passport and answer a few questions.

I was met at the airport by Oleg Schewtschenko, one of the pastors at the church in Odessa. Oleg was a member of the first class I taught, back in 1999. Oleg also spent several years studying in St. Catharines, so his command of English and his knowledge of Lutheran theology are excellent. In fact, he taught two courses in the previous term at the seminary.

I was taken directly to the seminary. The new building is an excellent facility. The apartment for visiting faculty is quite comfortable and the class room space is quite nice. There is also a dining room and a kitchen, where the cook prepares all of the meals for the weekdays and leaves food prepared for the students for the weekend. Though the faculty apartment has kitchen facilities, I ate all my meals with the students. The cook, Larissa, considers herself “mom” to the students, and no one goes away hungry.

I started teaching on Tuesday, and found myself quickly in conversation with the students – albeit through an interpreter. This was Irina’s first time interpreting for the seminary, and she did a fine job. I always find it a challenge (in a good way) to make sure that the students are clear about what I want them to know and are following the arguments. There are always questions, as the students are eager learners.

In the evening of the second Sunday, several of us went to see the Bolshoi Ballet dance The Nutcracker at the Odessa Opera House, which was a real treat. It was an opportunity to experience real Ukrainian culture.

As always, the experience was excellent, the students are being prepared for ministry, and I rejoice at the privilege of assisting our friends in Ukraine to prepare faithful pastors for their church and their society.

——————–

Rev. Dr. Edward Kettner is Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton.

President Don Schiemann

by Don Schiemann

History records the rise and fall of great and powerful nations and empires. In the days of Daniel the prophet, the ancient Babylonians were at the pinnacle of power. Everyone feared them, and with good reason, as evidenced by the destruction of Jerusalem and their enslavement of the Israelites. In Daniel’s dreams, however, he was shown by God that the Babylonians would be succeeded by the Persian Empire; the Persians would be succeeded by the Greek Empire; and the Greeks would be succeeded by the Roman Empire.

After the Roman Empire, we see other kingdoms even more powerful: the Holy Roman Empire, the Napoleonic Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the British Empire, the German Third Reich, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America.

What does the future hold? Any speculation is dangerous. The recent and sudden demise of the regimes in Egypt and Libya remind us that the course of human history is beyond prediction. At best, we can only say that nations and kingdoms come and go and no human institution or political entity is permanent.

Even on the grand scale of human history, we are constantly reminded of our own mortality and that the world is not infinite. All things will end. The Bible tells us, “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more” (Psalm 103:15, 16).

What will things be like at the end? People have a natural curiosity. The disciples asked Jesus, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” (Luke 21:7). Jesus gave the disciples general signs. He told them there would be wars and rumours of war; earthquakes and famine. All these would be like increasingly worse symptoms of a fatal disease. As for the exact time, Jesus said, “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only…For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:36-39).

On the one hand, we are not told the specifics of the when and the how; but the Bible tells us enough that we can look forward confidently to the end, whether the end of our own life or the end of the world. “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:5b-7a).

The season of Advent encourages us not only to celebrate the first coming of our Saviour into this world, but also joyfully to anticipate His Second Coming. In Christ we have the assurance of forgiveness, life and salvation. Based on this promise we can look forward confidently to the final coming of Christ’s everlasting kingdom with full assurance that we are members of that kingdom and will reign with Him forever.

——————–
Rev. Don Schiemann is President of the Alberta-British Columbia District of Lutheran Church–Canada.

President Robert Bugbee (LCC), Bishop John Bradosky (NALC), and President Matthew Harrison (LCMS) in discussion. (Photo courtesy of Joe Isenhower Jr., LCMS Communications)

by Mathew Block

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and North American Lutheran Church (NALC) officially began dialogue in a series of meetings December 15 -16 in St. Louis, Missouri. Among those present were President Matthew Harrison of the LCMS and Bishop John Bradosky of the NALC. President Robert Bugbee of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) was also in attendance as an observer at the invitation of LCMS and NALC leaders.

This marks the first high-level meeting between the LCMS and NALC since the latter’s founding in 2010. In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) narrowly voted to approve gay marriage and allow non-celibate homosexuals to serve as clergy – a move which left many individuals and congregations contemplating leaving the denomination. In August 2010, a number of disaffected congregations officially founded the NALC. And while sexuality was the surface issue, Bishop John Bradosky explains in a recent Canadian Lutheran article that “the far deeper issue [was] the authority of Scripture.” Little more than a year into its existence, the NALC now counts more than 100,000 individuals and 300 congregations among its membership.

President Bugbee’s attendance at the dialogue was considered particularly important as a number of disaffected Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) congregations have begun to express interest in joining the NALC. In June 2011, the ELCIC followed in the steps of its American counterpart, voting to approve the blessing of same-sex marriages and open the pastorate to practising homosexuals.

Upon the conclusion of the LCMS-NALC meetings, President Bugbee reflected upon the fruitfulness of the dialogue:

“I am deeply grateful to President Harrison and Bishop Bradosky for welcoming Lutheran Church–Canada into their first round of discussions. Although there are serious theological issues that divide these groups, the whole experience was quite heartwarming. We were all able to speak very honestly, and I did not have the sense that we were talking foreign languages to each other, as often happens when one interacts with mainline liberal churches who are increasingly setting God’s Word aside. There is a sincere desire on the part of NALC’s leaders to proclaim Christ as the Saviour of the world, and to honour the Scriptures as God’s written Word.”

The other participants took a similarly positive view of the discussions, according to the LCMS Reporter. President Harrison called the dialogue “a rather joyous surprise.” He further commended his NALC counterparts, saying they “fervently desire to take the Scriptures and the Lutheran confession seriously” and that they “share our own convictions on fundamental issues of life and sexuality.” Bishop Bradosky expressed gratitude to the LCMS for hosting the event, saying the discussions “transcended all our hopes and expectations.”

President Bugbee concluded his statements by noting the following: “Since former ELCIC congregations have begun to join the NALC, Lutheran Church–Canada has a strong interest in watching NALC’s development to see whether we can work together in any way. I’ll be grateful if members of the Synod hold these ongoing discussion in their prayers, as I am doing.”

The next round of discussions is scheduled for May 7-8, 2012, and will be hosted at NALC headquarters in Hillard, Ohio.

——————–

Mathew Block is editor of The Canadian Lutheran and Manager of Communications for Lutheran Church–Canada.

by Jim Chliboyko

One wouldn’t think a nativity scene—the traditional depiction of the evening of Christ’s birth—would provide too much mileage for comedy. But that didn’t stop Mr. Bean. There’s a famously cheeky (and slightly naughty) bit during Merry Christmas Mr. Bean, in which the man-child decides to play with a nativity display at Harrod’s (department store), killing time while shopping, eventually introducing the infant Jesus to a helicopter, a tank, a T. Rex, and Doctor Who’s old enemy, the Dalek. Mr. Bean has his oblivious fun with it until security chases him away.

The bit works (or doesn’t, depending on your taste) because of the universality of the nativity scene, or crèche; everybody knows what the nativity scene is, just as they know there were no helicopters in Bethlehem all those years ago.

But the Nativity scene isn’t just something that decorates department stores or fills up space or appears in churches during the Christmas season; it’s an art form hundreds of years old. And for some, it is a very important art form.

“The role of Christian art is to teach what Scripture says. It’s a teaching tool” says Rev. Ted Giese, associate pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Regina. With an undergraduate degree in fine art, he has written two theses on art and the church. “The best Christian art does this in a way that doesn’t confuse but enlightens.”

The role of Christian art is to teach what Scripture says.

And, using that same thinking, the nativity scene tells the story of Christmas and Epiphany focusing on the humble place where God became man.

The Latin word ‘cripia,’ means ‘manger.’ From cripia descend the words crèche and crib, and other words synonymous with the nativity scene.

According to an organization devoted to the crèche, “the earliest representation of the Nativity can be seen in a fresco found in the catacombs of St. Priscilla (in Rome), 2nd century AD, portraying the Mother and Child, the Three Wise Men and Saint Joseph or perhaps the prophet Isaiah, and above a star with eight points.”

Evidently, it wasn’t until the 13th century the idea of the Nativity Scene specifically captured people’s imaginations. Certainly, the mother-and-child portraits were a common theme, but for an actual depiction of the birth of Christ, St. Francis of Assisi often receives credit for pioneering the art form. Specifically, St. Francis began with what’s known today as a living nativity scene, the first one of which he presented in 1223 in Greccio, Italy, a town in the middle of the country (and a place which today has Bethlehem as a sister city), a mere three years before his death.

According to The Life of Saint Francis, by St. Bonaventure, “in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio (sic) to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff. Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise.

The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.”

The popularity of the scenes spread outward from Greccio, but carved or sculpted figures eventually replaced (though not totally) the humans and animals. And the art form has changed dramatically over the years in other ways.

In the World Council of Churches chapel (Geneva, Switzerland)

An organization devoted to the art of the crèche, the US-based Friends of the Creche, recently held its annual meeting in Toronto, the first time Canada has hosted. It’s a fairly new organization which established itself in the last decade.

According to its literature, “The American organization is part of a worldwide organization started in Europe in the early 20th century as people became aware of collections of crèche figures created by some of Europe’s finest artists being broken up and sold in the antique market, while others were simply left to deteriorate.”

“Actually, I think the inspiration came from several European societies, some of which have been flourishing for hundreds of years,” said Mike Whelan, president of Friends of the Creche. “I like to say that there’s fifteen Old World societies and three New World ones. The European focus is more on people who build them and create them; the North American group is more for the collector-types.” The group’s start was low-key.

“We had a newsletter before we had a group,” said Whelan. “Rita (Bocher) in Philadelphia saw a need for a newsletter. It sounds hokey, but we actually met in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1999…and there’s a Moravian church near there with an exhibit. Bethlehem seemed like a perfect place.”

Whelan’s own fascination with the nativity began in his youth. He had a handy uncle who did some carpentry on the side, and who made a stable for him. Whelan, at the age of seven, bought some figures for his own nativity scene at a local dime store.

“For me, there’s always been an interest in it; I’m not sure why. Six or seven must have been a formative age. The same thing seems to run through our membership.”

David Guy is a member of Red Deer’s Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, and is also deeply interested in the crèche. He, too, attended this year’s convention in Toronto.

“I don’t know how many sets I have anymore. Maybe 350 to 400,” says Guy. “I set them up in the church, then open it to the public. There are scenes from different materials, scenes from different countries. I actually get most of mine from eBay, but not necessarily from the Canadian or American eBay sites.”

“I don’t have enough room to put them all out anymore, so I try to rotate some stuff, and try to keep it as varied as I can.”

Guy became involved with collecting nativity art at a later age than Whelan, but it became an important part of his life. “I’ve always been interested, but the collecting started 10 years ago. I got into a very bad depression. I couldn’t think, couldn’t concentrate. But working with the nativity sets gave me something to concentrate on. I think God gave me something to do. It was something I could work with.”

In the village church of Leukerbad, Switzerland

Today’s crèche can take many forms depending on the artist’s whimsy, craftiness, skill or the materials available.

“One I have from South America is basically made out of recycled car parts,” says Whelan. “The hay in the manger is spark plug wires, and the infant Jesus is basically part of a spark plug.”

Whelan also talks about nativity scenes made out of everything from recycled aluminum pop cans to a Vietnamese item made from mother-of-pearl.

“One of the very unique ones I have is made of fine sawdust and oxblood,” says Red Deer’s Guy, who compares it to Bakelite. “It’s made in late 1800s inFrance.”

Of course, many of the pieces from poorer countries have a purpose other than celebrating the birth of Jesus. Says Whelan, “The third or fourth dimension of this is that a lot of people support mission projects throughout the world (through the purchase of nativity art).”

“I have one made out of orange peels from Columbia,” reported David Guy. “That one I got from a gentleman I know in Salt Lake City. His family buys directly from the artist and sends the money back to the artist.

While an 800-year time span can lead to all sorts of changes in one discipline, Whelan thinks he can sense a recent shift in how people regard the art form.

“I have to say, I think after 9/11 I saw things change a little bit. I think people started to see things differently. If you ever shop for Christmas cards, you may have seen one little section for religious cards (before), but that section is growing a little more.”

Whelan insists his group isn’t at all political. To be sure, some political issues have arisen in the past with nativity scenes, but aside from the occasional act of destruction, mischief or the rare high-profile protest, Whelan downplays anything negative in relation to the scenes.

“Here and there maybe you get some vandalism with public displays,” says Whelan. “A friend tells me people like to steal the infant. For the most part people who come to exhibits are people who… want to come there.”

It’s impossible to say what St. Francis of Assisi had in mind when he arranged his first Nativity scene all those years ago—whether he was trying to create a full-blown tradition or a one-off production. But almost 800 years later, much of the Christian world still devotes time and energy to this category of Christian art.

If St. Bonaventure was correct, and St. Francis’ efforts were merely to generate some excitement about commemorating the birth of Jesus, it seems he just might have—788 Christmases later—been on to something.

——————–

Jim Chliboyko is a freelance writer in Winnipeg.

Photographs by Ian Adnams.

Jesus knocks, but occupants inside don’t always hear

by Robert Bugbee

The words appear in red letters in special editions of the Bible: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 NIV). They are red because Jesus is speaking. Even though He had returned to heaven and was unseen by people, the words His Spirit moved St. John to write in the last book of the New Testament came straight from Him.

Sincere people sometimes misunderstood them, as though Jesus were saying this mostly to unbelievers. If you read the surrounding verses carefully, you see what’s really happening. Jesus speaks here to members of a church. These were men and women who had heard His message and believed it. They had been gathered into God’s family. It is not only unbelievers who need a “wake up call” from the Lord’s Christ. Sometimes those who consider themselves comfortable and well-situated must face the fact they are treating Him like a man they’ve left outside on the front steps. A closed door is in the way between them and Him. He doesn’t force them to open. He doesn’t kick the door in.

It is not only unbelievers who need a “wake up call” from the Lord’s Christ.

But He stands there, just the same. Calmly and firmly He knocks and knocks. The occupants inside don’t always hear. Picture them talking on and on for hours and days about many things, as people often do. See them fill their ears with the sound of other people’s chatter back to them. Noise fills the air, and they are oblivious to the One on their doorstep. He could choose to answer with threats. Worse yet, He could turn and walk away for good.

But He stands there, though a long time may have gone by. With a seeking, aching love He’s not letting up. He sticks it out on the steps. He knocks and knocks.

It’s a Christmas gift from God whenever you can ponder the words, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” This is where Advent and Christmas want to take you. Christmas is not intended to be just an annual replay of old traditions, decorations and food, soothing as they may be. It’s not only the recitation of a touching story about a poor man and wife who stumbled into Bethlehem long ago as if it were a sweet, ancient fairy tale.

Bethlehem’s little Christ grew up. He trusted and preached and helped and cried; He invited and warned and welcomed. He died to carry your unpayable debt. He came alive in power. The Christmas good news and the Bible’s other messages of Him are there to show He has made His way to you again. He’s on the front steps. Even if you’ve been too busy to clue in to His presence there, calmly and firmly He knocks and knocks.

He’s not there primarily to scold you. To be sure, the words He spoke to His careless children are sobering. You and I ignore them at our peril. Still, the One who knocks is ready instead to bring love and help right in the door. “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me,” He says. Sharing a meal was a deep thing in Bible times. This was not some business lunch where one person tries to sell something to another. It’s not a quick trip past the drive-through window. Sharing a meal was about giving honour and acceptance to a companion at the table. It was like giving something of your heart to the one seated across from you.

This is what Jesus yearns to do this Christmas with you, dear friend. He brings the honour and acceptance you don’t really deserve, but which He holds out to you as a priceless gift through the pardon He bought with His dying and rising. He offers you the love of His heart; An open ear that pays careful attention to your cries and troubles; eyes to see things going on around you for what they really are; strength to stand up to the forces that would grieve the Lord and wound other people.

He wants to come closer to you than you can possibly imagine.

“I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me,” He says. He wants to come closer to you than you can possibly imagine. He invites you to press in close to Him, too, perhaps closer than you have ever been before.

I ask God to give me such a Christmas. He knows I need it. I pray He gives such a Christmas to you also. Anything less wouldn’t really be Christmas at all.

——————–
Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee is president of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Rev. Warren Hamp

In its first meeting since Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) 2011 convention, the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) elected Rev. Warren Hamp (Faith, Kitchener) as its new chairman and Cliff Pyle (Grace, Saskatoon) as its secretary. The previous chairman and secretary of the CTCR had reached the end of their terms.

Among the items under discussion were two resolutions passed at the 2011 convention: the first regards the development of a program to train missionary evangelists, and the second the creation of a mechanism to allow LCC members to respond to CTCR study documents.

The CTCR is responsible for providing guidance to LCC in matters of theology and relations with other church bodies. The commission consists of the president of LCC, a faculty representative from each of Synod’s two seminaries, two elected clergy members, and two elected laypersons. Current members include President Robert Bugbee, Dr. Tom Winger, Dr. Stephen Chambers, Dr. James Dimitroff, Rev. Warren Hamp, Paul Walrath, and Clifford Pyle.

Reports prepared by the CTCR are available online at LCC’s website.

by Mathew Block

The legal status of euthanasia is once again under debate in Canada, as Gloria Taylor and a number of other plaintiffs (including the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association) take the government to court over the issue. Gaynor, a sufferer of Lou Gehrig’s disease, is challenging Canadian laws which make physician-assisted suicide illegal. The case, Carter vs. the Attorney General of Canada, is now before the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

The court case follows on the heels of the publication of a Royal Society of Canada report which calls for the legalization of euthanasia. “Both assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia should be available,” the authors write. “The federal government should modify prohibitions on assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia in the Criminal Code, so that… they are legally permissible.”

That conclusion has many decrying the objectivity of the government-initiated report. “It is not ‘a careful, balanced review of various pros and cons of decriminalization of physician-assisted death from well-reasoned ethical and legal standpoints’,” writes Margaret Somerville in a recent Montreal Gazette commentary. “It is an unabashed pro-euthanasia manifesto.”

Somerville, a prominent bio-ethicist and founding director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law at McGill University, goes on to argue that the legalization of euthanasia invariably leads to a diminished societal value of human life. She further notes the potential for abuse of euthanasia to target vulnerable segments of the population, including the elderly and the disabled.

The lawyer representing the government in Carter vs. the Attorney General of Canada argued much the same thing last week in an appearance last week before the Supreme Court of British Columbia. “We do not condone the taking of life,” she said, suggesting the legalization of euthanasia would create “a fundamental shift in societal values.”

President Clifford Pyle of Lutherans for Life Canada expressed the following ways in which Canadians might make a difference. “We are asking Canadians to do two things,” he said. “First, and most importantly, take this in prayer to God – that He would be watching over the situation, guiding it for good. Secondly, express your concern publicly. Write letters to the editor. Sign the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition’s petition. Ask your elected officials to express their disapproval. Let the courts know that euthanasia is not an option in Canadian society.”

Parliament has repeatedly rejected calls for the legalization of euthanasia, most recently voting down a private member’s bill in 2010. The current situation differs in that this time the legal status of euthanasia will be decided by the courts rather than by elected officials.

“…but [Jesus Christ] made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” (Philippians 2:7-10). 

by Carlos Lange

Many Christians are born with a talent for leadership. They soon realize, still in their youth, they enjoy taking initiatives and leading a group. They come up with ideas and plans of action and don’t shy away from “pitching” them to their peers. They notice the group often accepts their leadership, either through formal election to a leadership position or simply by following their suggestions and supporting their ideas. These leaders are eager to serve God with their talent, but there is one lesson they need to learn to better answer their call: the toughest lesson of all—humility.

Simply having talent is not enough. Any activity, professional or not, from the sciences to the arts, including leadership in the church or in the world, requires specific training to go along with talent. Pastors receive training during their years at seminary. Congregations and districts organize training for other church leaders at seminars. Leadership is also a popular topic for books. Usually, these seminars and books focus on a deeper understanding of Scripture, on a more intense communion with God, and on the characteristics of a good leader.

If we examine the leaders in the Bible, God often tells us how they too received training. For example, Moses studied in the most advanced university of ancient times—the royal house of Egypt. Joshua learned from Moses, and Elisha learned from Elijah. David learned to trust God at home as the great-grandson of Ruth and Boaz. But his leadership training came in the armies of Saul, Israel’s first regular army. Peter learned from the Teacher of teachers, whereas Paul first sat at the feet of Gamaliel, then later Jesus Himself. While the Bible doesn’t record any formal training for others, such as Abraham and Jacob, they enjoyed a personal relationship with God and were head of their families and of a large number of servants. In short, even the great leaders of God’s people required years of training to perform their role.

Even the great leaders of God’s people required years of training to perform their role.

Despite all this training, leaders are afflicted with a specific temptation and the enemy of God knows how to exploit it. Abraham could not stand idle, simply waiting for God to fulfil His promise. He tried to “lend God a hand” with the help of Sarah’s servant.

At seventeen, Joseph was still too young to lead his older brothers, but he showed plenty of arrogance in taunting his brothers and boasting of his dreams that foretold his future position of authority. He was such a nag his brothers did not tolerate him and tried to get rid of him.

The disciple Simon Peter had a long list of failed impulsive actions, from harmless ideas, such as setting up camp at the mount of transfiguration, to trying to dissuade Jesus from the plan of salvation, or trying to defend him with a sword at the Mount of Olives.

Of all these examples, Moses is perhaps the easiest to follow. He graduated from the best university in the world of his time and trained at the house of Pharaoh specifically to become a leader. At 40 he was at a mature age, but not too old, and from a human perspective, he had learned everything there was to learn to become a perfect leader, speaking and acting with recognized authority. He considered himself so ready he could not understand why God was not setting in motion His plan of deliverance. After all, Moses saw the suffering of an enslaved people, felt compassion for them, and was anxious to take on his role as leader of the people of God.

Moses also tried to “lend God a hand” by attacking an Egyptian oppressor and hoping to lead a rebellion. But his attempt backfired. What was missing? Why did God not consider Moses ready for his mission?  There was still a final lesson Moses had to learn—the toughest lesson.

Moses, perhaps the greatest leader of all time, took 40 years to learn a single lesson: humility before God. When he was finally ready, he looked very different to human eyes. He was a shadow of the once self-confident and proud leader. God, however, considered him finally ready to take on His task. And Moses served God faithfully for another 40 years, only vacillating once, which cost him his entrance into Canaan.

This pattern seems common among the leaders of God’s people; they need a long time to learn humility. Abraham only received the son of the promise when he was 100 years old after exhausting all rational hope of conceiving through natural means. Joseph endured many years in jail undeservedly until he had learned true humility. And he learned it so well he did not abuse his powerful position when he finally had opportunity to seek vengeance against his brothers. There was no trace of the arrogance from his youth when he embraced his brothers and cried loudly while he revealed himself as the second most powerful man of his time.

As with Moses, it took 40 years to teach humility to the nation of Israel (Deut. 8:2), whom the Lord had chosen to lead all who worshipped Him from all nations at that time. During these 40 years Joshua also learned to be humble so he could succeed Moses.

In other cases God thought it better to apply a continuous treatment against pride. For example, David had a life filled with battles and conflicts which caused him much anxiety, as we see in his Psalms, and prevented his soul from becoming exalted, despite his many conquests.

Elijah did not have even a small break to enjoy his tremendous victory over the prophets of Baal, but fled for his life seeking refuge in Mount Sinai. He continued living under constant threats on his life, something common among all prophets of God. If we look in the New Testament, we see our Lord rebuking Peter several times for his impulsive actions, but his denial of Christ finally taught him humility and dependence on God’s grace. No previous misstep had moved him from his assumed leadership among the disciples—always first to take action. Peter’s denial, however, so broke his spirit that Jesus had to repeat His call three times to reassure him. On the other hand, Paul lived with a permanent “thorn in the flesh” to curb his pride and strengthen his reliance on God’s grace. These examples help us understand what Jesus means in Mathew 18: whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Why does it take so long and why is it so hard for a leader to learn humility? Leaders are often obstinate and derided as a “know-it-all.” However, they soon realize this ability to make decisions and to point out directions when others feel uncertain and disoriented makes people follow them. While followers may have conflicting opinions or no opinion at all, the leader is expected always to have a clear position whether he or she is democratic or autocratic. In addition, in any situation there will always be divergent opinions and leaders will often be accused and ridiculed by those who disagree with them. After a while the leader becomes used to this because part of leadership requires making unpopular decisions when proper and necessary. The leader usually believes she will be vindicated in the future and hopes all followers, even those who now disagree, will one day be thankful.

Why does it take so long and why is it so hard for a leader to learn humility?

Unfortunately this stubbornness, which leaders prefer to call “inner strength” and zeal, is sometimes abused when it leads to the arrogant belief that one knows better and there is no need for advice or admonition. This attitude is always inappropriate when it goes against the clear will and instruction of the Lord, as happened when Moses struck the rock in Meribah. While humility can curb such obviously misplaced pride, its true benefit is revealed in situations that are not obvious violations of God’s will. Without humility, Moses may not have listened to the advice of his father-in-law and may not have delegated his role as judge to officers from among the people. More strikingly, only  a humble leader would know how to respond correctly when hearing God venting His righteous frustration, threatening to destroy all followers and making a new nation out of the leader’s descendants (Num. 14:15). Out of humility Moses fulfilled his duty as prophet and pleaded with God for the people.

If it took great heroes of faith many years to learn humility before God, what chance has a leader today? Leaders have the promise that God will teach them and guide them in the right path (Ps 25:12, Ps 32:8). Because of this promise, they can approach God for wisdom and direction with confidence that He will answer because it pleases Him (Jas 4:3). Sadly, while God is faithful, we often are not, and miss out on God’s blessings for lack of asking (Jas 4:2). It is precisely because leadership and humility appear incongruent that we will not find many leaders who kneel and pray to become more humble. From their point of view they would be better leaders if they just had more wisdom to make the right decision at the right moment. Their plan would succeed if they could persuade the others that it is vital and will work. Leaders feel compelled to pray for these gifts and for perseverance, courage, strength of will and of character, faith, intelligence, health and similar things. Note that all items in this list are considered positive attributes and they are usually associated with winners. In contrast, humility tends to be considered a negative attribute and, along with uncertainty, weakness of spirit, fragility, and sensibility, it tends to be associated with losers. After his failed attempt to lead a Hebrew uprising, Moses must have reflected about the causes that prevented his plan from succeeding. We can speculate about what may have crossed his mind, but he almost certainly did not think: if I had only been more humble, God could have used me to lead the people.

In my youth I attended several leadership workshops and I read several books on the subject. None, however, included humility as a topic. Some addressed the need for compassion, others lectured about God being strong when we are weak, but this weakness was usually seen as a limitation of the leader’s ability. Perhaps one can’t learn humility in a seminar or from a book but only in practice and over a long period of time.

Fortunately, to the leaders God calls He makes a promise, hidden behind the threatening tone of the verse in Psalm 32: “if you are stubborn like a horse or a mule, I will be forced to lead you by bit and bridle on the right path.” For a long time, I saw this verse as a threat that follows a promise as we often find in the Psalms (cf. Ps 18:27). Now, in this verse I recognize a promise from a God who loves us like a father and cares about us. Even if leaders fail to seek God’s guidance or fail to ask for what they really need, such as humility, God will not let them go astray. The process may be lengthy and painful, but for the faithful leader it is comforting to know God will discipline if necessary (Dt 8:5; Pr 13:24), to guide leaders to the right path.

Like Paul, leaders struggle with the conflict between the flesh and the spirit (Rom. 7). Even though leaders may know the theory and teaching about humility, they find in their sinful nature a resistance to being humble. But zeal for God’s plan and will makes Christian leaders accept the Father’s discipline—painful as it may be—to help learn the toughest lesson: humility.

“Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honour” (Prov.15:33).

———————–

Carlos Lange, PhD, PEng, is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. He is a member of Riverbend Lutheran Church in Edmonton. This article was originally published in Portuguese by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil.

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary

During a recent online conference, the Board of Regents of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines decided the seminary cannot continue operating under temporary leadership. Therefore, following approval from Lutheran Church–Canada’s Board of Directors as mandated in LCC’s Handbook, it has issued a call for nominations for president. Since the resignation of its president in 2008, Rev. Dr. Thomas Winger has served as acting president.

“The board believed it premature to begin searching for a new president before LCC’s convention in June 2011,” noted Rev. Robert Krestick, chairman of the Board of Regents. At the convention delegates gave solid support to a Memorandum of Understanding reached by LCC’s two seminaries and Synod’s Board of Directors which provides for cost efficient and sustainable seminary education. Rev. Krestick pointed out that the memorandum includes “a commitment to investigate institutional merger of the seminaries, but this possibility remains well in the future, and efficient operation of our seminaries is an immediate and ongoing need.”

In addition to concern over temporary leadership, the regents noted that a report by the Association of Theological Seminaries obliges the seminary to fill the office of president to retain its accreditation.

The Memorandum of Understanding commits CLTS and its sister seminary, Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton to a joint budget cap. The board believes it can call a president for CLTS and keep within the limit which may entail looking at a part-time president position or a president who carries a significant teaching load.

“The Board of Regents has decided that the process of nominations and a proper search will uncover what the possibilities might be,” said Rev. Krestick.

He asks all members of LCC to “think deeply about this great need, to pray about it, and to provide guidance to the board.”

Nominations may be submitted by congregations, the Board of Directors of synod, and by the seminary faculty, and must be received by February 18, 2012. Send nominations to:

Rev. Brian Dunlop,
Secretary, CLTS Board of Regents
136167 Concession 8
Desboro, ON  N0H 1K0
Email: flc@packetworks.ca

by Ian Adnams

The English language is perplexing at times, especially as it reflects cultural leanings. At this time of year we hear a lot about gifts. People are busy looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one. Christians celebrate God giving the gift of His Son to rescue us from our life of sin.

Lately, in some advertising I’ve noticed a curious addition to the concept of gift and it has even crept into our own Christian phraseology—the concept of “free gift.” This implies that there must be something called an “unfree gift.” I checked dictionary.com and found the following definition for gift: “something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favour toward someone, honour an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.”

It’s easy to see where the skepticism about the free-ness of gifts creeps in. According to the popular Christmas song “Santa Claus is coming to town” whether we receive gifts is dependant on being bad or good, “so be good for goodness’ sake.” If you have to do something to receive something, it’s not a gift; it’s a reward or even payment.

I’m not sure the “free gift” a department store had for me once I paid the $6.99 shipping and handling fee was a gift. If it was, you’d think they would find a way to get it to me.

A recent TV advertisement features a young girl quizzing a bank teller about the true nature of the institution’s “free” services. The employee assures her that everything advertised as free is without charge. “You wouldn’t lie to me would you?” she asks. “Because if you do that would make you a bad person.”

Then there’s the old saying “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” In other words, whatever you want, you have to work for it.

Is it any wonder in a society so distrustful of anything free people fail to grasp the essence of God’s grace? A Canadian newspaper now features a section where people can report acts of “grace” like someone ahead in the drive-thru at Tim Horton’s who pays for your coffee. For some, that’s as close to understanding grace as it gets.

What we’re dealing with here is an unmerited gift from God. While we were still His enemies, He called us into His family. Think about people you really don’t get along with and imagine – out of the blue – inviting them to become part of your family, opening your heart and loving them as if they were your own child. That’s nothing compared to what God did for us in Jesus Christ.

What we’re dealing with here is an unmerited gift from God.

And God’s pursuit of this relationship is relentless. From the moment of Adam and Eve’s disobedience and rebellion, God has done everything to bridge the chasm created by their sin and ours. He used every means imaginable to express His love for humanity finally humbling Himself to the point of becoming one of His creation – a baby – Jesus whose birth we celebrate. God the father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth encased in human flesh, entering the world totally helpless. Why? So that He could repair the relationship with a creation that wants nothing to do with Him.

His rescue plan that saves us from sin and the eternal death sentence we deserve comes directly from His heart. We don’t do anything, because we can’t. Nothing we do can ever earn His favour and forgiveness. It’s a nice gesture to buy someone coffee unawares, but it does nothing to earn ‘points’ with God. He’s not interested in what we do; He is interested in who we are, whose we are and how our lives reflect His love not our love.

God’s forgiveness that reconnects us with Him is a gift. To call it a free gift is redundant. To say it is an unearned gift betrays our misunderstanding of the word gift.

Out of perfect love God gives to us His forgiveness, a gift He established by allowing His son Jesus Christ to take on our sins, suffer and die despite living a perfect life. That He rose from the dead shows that He defeated our final enemy for us. He did it all and God gives to us new life and eternal life through the water and Word in baptism. He strengthens our faith through His own body and blood in Holy Communion and speaks to our saint-yet-sinner souls through His Word. His grace takes care of our every breath and daily bread.

At some time this season you will likely sing or hear the carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The third verse says it all:

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

God gives us a gift. All we do is receive it. “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John3:16-17).

"Perfect Holiday" - Tara Lyn Hart

The Christmas album with a good cause is back for another season.  “Winter Wonderland” and “The Very First Christmas Gift” are the latest singles from Tara Lyn Hart’s album “Perfect Holiday” to be released for radio airplay. The album was first released in time for Christmas 2010 and marked a return to the recording studio for the St. Catharines-based performer after a six year hiatus. Proceeds from the sale of the album and airplay of its songs go to Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines where Tara Lyn’s husband Perry is a student. The album also features violinist Dianne Humann, a member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and wife of retired CLTS professor Rev. Dr. Roger Humann.

The songs, which are both Christian and festive in nature, have already been getting airplay in the early days of the Christmas season. EZ Rock Niagara 105.7 (CHRE-FM) in St. Catharines has been spinning the tunes as part of their temporary all-Christmas music format. Tara Lyn thanks the station for its support and urges listeners in the Niagara region to call in a request of either of the songs. The album is getting some Lutheran fans south of the border too. Earlier this year, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod President Matthew Harrison purchased a copy while visiting CLTS.

Tara Lyn Hart’s roots in the Canadian music industry run deep. Following childhood performances in church and talent competitions near her hometown of Roblin, Manitoba, she went on to have a three year contract with Sony Music. This opportunity allowed her to enter the music scene in Nashville where she would eventually perform at the Grand Ole Opry. In 2000, she won the Canadian Country Music Association’s Rising Star award and was further nominated for two Juno Awards for the title track on her album “Stuff that Matters.” She also ran a successful performing arts school in Cobourg Ontario from 2002 to 2008.

The album “Perfect Holiday” costs $12 and can be ordered by calling CLTS at (905) 688-2362 or emailing the seminary at Concordia@brocku.ca. It can also be purchased online at Tara Lyn Hart’s website.

Most of us have received a report card at some point and know how intimidating it can be to open the envelope. Whatever other feedback teachers give, report card time is the moment of truth. We finally see exactly what our teachers think of our efforts. Are we faithful students, doing our best to learn what we were supposed to?

No doubt we can get pretty wound up over school report cards. But what if God handed out report cards in the same way? What might He say about our spiritual progress?

In some ways, the events surrounding Christ’s transfiguration recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke might be considered a kind of celestial report card from the Father on the progress of His Son. God thunders from the clouds, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5 ESV). God, for the benefit of Jesus’ disciples, announces His evaluation of His Son’s work… and it is a definite A-plus. The Father affirmed Christ’s faithfulness to Him throughout everything He had done in His earthly mission.

Just as Christ is faithful to the One who sent Him, as God’s people, we are called to be faithful to God.

Just as Christ is faithful to the One who sent Him, as God’s people, we are called to be faithful to God.

In this final article on the core values of Lutheran Church–Canada, we consider faithfulness: “In faith, as Christ’s ambassadors,” our vision statement reads, “we value faithfulness.” We learn from the Saviour, whose faithfulness is affirmed by the Father, how we can also be faithful in our service to Him who has brought us into the kingdom of His Son.

If your paper carrier skipped your house every second day, would you consider him or her faithful? If you failed to come to work three or four times a month, would your boss consider you faithful? If you missed a couple of mortgage payments during the year would the bank consider you faithful?  If you failed to show up at home once or twice a month would your spouse consider you faithful?

Faithfulness is not good intentions about doing the right thing. Even managing to do the right thing most of the time doesn’t make you faithful. True faithfulness is loyalty that never fails or falters—the kind of loyalty we only see in Jesus Christ. When He speaks of His work, He says, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38 ESV). He held Himself accountable to His Father in everything He did.

If Christ had faltered at any point, decided the way of the cross was too much and the Father’s will too hard, He would not be what the author of Hebrews calls Him: “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house” (Hebrews 3:1-2 ESV). If His life showed the smallest hint of sin, then we could never be sure of our salvation. Only the death of the sinless Son of God could redeem sinful people like us. Only a Perfect Sacrifice could save our fallen world.

When Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil tempted Him to forsake faithfulness to the Father. Luke writes, “And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours’” (Luke 4:5-7 ESV). In effect, Satan offered Jesus the very world He had come to redeem—everything He wants, without suffering the pain of the cross. All He had to do was bow down to the devil. But Christ resisted. He knew the kingdoms of the world do not belong to the devil nor are they his to give, so He rebuked Satan: “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve’” (Luke 4:8 ESV).

Christ remained faithful to God despite temptation. And we see the Father’s assessment of that faithfulness in His words during the Transfiguration of Christ.

At this moment in time, the Father does two things. First, He affirms to Peter, James and John that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. “This is my beloved Son,” the voice declares from the clouds.

Second, God commends the faithfulness of the Son “with whom [He] is well pleased.” These are the same words He spoke at Christ’s baptism. That event marked the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry; the Transfiguration occurs near the end. The point is clear: from beginning to end, from birth to death to resurrection, Christ remained faithful to the Father. He was the Perfect Sacrifice we needed to save us from our sin. And He continues His faithful work today, interceding for us at the right hand of the Father. This is the Son in whom God is “well pleased”: an A-plus if ever there was one.

We as Christians benefit from the Son’s faithfulness. Not only has He been faithful to the Father; God in turn is faithful toward us! Again and again the Scriptures assure us of the faithfulness of God to humanity. St. John tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 ESV). Paul assures us, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful – for He cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13 ESV); and again, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV). Even in the midst of spiritual struggles, we have the promise that “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV).

The hymn writer Thomas O. Chisholm puts it well: “Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not: Thy compassions, they fail not; as Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be” (LSB 809). Great is the faithfulness of God indeed. We can look ahead in hope and joy to the glory of heaven, because He is faithful. We have been washed by the blood of the Lamb in baptism because He is faithful. We are fed and nourished with the very body and blood of our Saviour because He is faithful. Through faith in the Faithful One, we hear the Father assure us in grace, “You also are my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased.”

Through faith in the Faithful One, we hear the Father assure us in grace, “You also are my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased.

God calls us to faithfulness too. As the Spirit works through the Word and Sacraments, He moves us to faithful lives before Him. Guided by His Word, we know the Father’s will, and we seek to be faithful to His calling on our lives as His children. The same is true for us as a church body. God’s faithfulness to us calls us to faithfulness in our mission to the world. We must be faithful to the truth of Holy Scripture, even if the whole world should turn against it. We must remain faithful, even if it should mean facing persecution.

That faithfulness reveals itself in the way we work, live and act as a church. When our vision statement says we value faithfulness, it uses three words to describe how we live that out: in integrity, in excellence, and in accountability. For some in this world, it has become hard to believe that the Church has any integrity left. We hear news reports of pastors and priests guilty of abuse and indiscretion. We see people who use the ministry and mission of the Church for their own selfish ends. The singer Ray Stevens has a song which asks, “Would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show?” The song criticizes preachers who are clearly wealthy themselves yet keep asking others to support their personal ministries. The song almost screams: “Where is the faithfulness? Where is the integrity?”

As a church body, we promise to do things differently. Where the world would be faithless, we pledge, by the grace of God, to be faithful. We strive for integrity in a world without honour.

We also value faithfulness as we seek excellence. In doing so, we remember St. Paul’s words to the Philippian church: “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10 ESV). We seek that excellence in a number of ways. We continue to study the Scriptures, to learn and understand God’s will for His people. We proclaim the truth of God in our worship, so that others may know what is good and right in His sight. We set high standards as we train pastors and deacons, so that they may be well equipped to serve the Church.

But if we are to be truly excellent; if we are to have true integrity, we must be held accountable to God’s standard. We are to be good stewards of the resources, gifts, and grace He has bestowed upon us. And when we fail – as we certainly will – He holds us accountable through the preaching of the Law, calling us to acknowledge and repent of our failures. Then, assured of His forgiveness because of the sacrifice of Christ, He sends us back out to bear the Gospel to the ends of the earth. And He does not send us empty-handed; He equips us for the task, giving us His Holy Spirit to empower our ministry throughout the world.

God has been faithful to us, and so He calls us to be faithful to Him. But our strength to do so does not come from us. It flows from Christ’s faithfulness to His Church. Blessed, free and forgiven through the faithfulness of Christ, we go forth in faith, trusting His eternal promise: “Be faithful unto death,” Christ says, “and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10 ESV). And that, by God’s grace, is exactly what we will one day receive.

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Rev. David Bode is pastor of Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary. Photo by Chris Bruer.

Rev. Dr. Neitzel poses with congregants in Fortaleza, Brazil

by Leonardo Neitzel

After several years away, I decided recently to visit my home country Brazil, where all my relatives still live. I was impressed with the progress Brazil is making – surprised by its many changes, both positive and negative. The Brazilian economy is growing rapidly. In fact, it is one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. Job opportunities are plentiful and capital investment is safe.

Brazil is also set to host the 2014 World Cup of soccer, and groups are lining up to invest in its promotion. In cities where the national team is scheduled to play, the cost of homes and properties near the stadiums has skyrocketed; they have more than tripled in value already. The country is also increasing its police forces in preparation for 2014, giving them special training to meet the demands of the event. In Rio de Janeiro especially, an enormous financial investment is being made to crack down on drug cartels, trafficking and the criminal activity rampant in the favelas (poor shantytown settlements).

The Downside

Along with these improvements, I was sad to see the rise of faith-exploitation, as fanatic preachers and religious groups have preyed on large groups of the population. Television preachers, miracle-makers and religious-show performers have become millionaires, building empires through the exploitation of everyday people. Spiritism, sorcery, syncretism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, idolatry and charismatic sects are all on the rise.

The result is that many people live in great confusion when it comes to religion. Among Christians, many are being led away from a truly biblical Christianity, to the extent that some seem content to worship simultaneously at God’s altar and the devil’s. While often called a “Christian nation,” many in Brazil do not profess the Christian faith. Of those that do, many are terribly confused because of the fanatical teachings rampant in the country, and because of a general lack of knowledge of the Word of God. Too often, people are more attached to their superstitions (eg, Mariolatry and “saintolatry,” relying on the special powers of images and amulets) than to a Scripture-based Christianity.

Something to Ponder 

During the month I was there, what struck me most was just how widespread and popular these promoters of false-religion are. They are so off the mark when it comes to a Christ-centred, biblical Christianity, and yet they are present everywhere, delivering their messages and “selling their products” anywhere people can be found – on television and radio stations, through social media, in homes, public transit, businesses, and in the streets and public markets. It’s a 24/7 enterprise for profit! Their places of worship and theatres are packed all day every day, week in and week out. If only we, possessing the true unaltered and unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ as we do, would be somehow as bold as these ‘peddlers of God’s Word’!

If only we, possessing the true unaltered and unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ as we do, would be somehow as bold as these ‘peddlers of God’s Word’!

Fortunately, I had the privilege to visit some Lutheran congregations during my time in Brazil, and I was touched by their tremendous efforts in reaching out to their communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and also by their vibrant corporate worship services. We understand, of course, that the way we worship or reach out to others does not change, contribute to, alter or ‘improve’ upon the Word of God. That Word is what it is. Amen! In fact, the opposite is true. As God’s people abide in His Word, in the means of grace, and in the fellowship of believers, their way of worshipping and witnessing is positively affected: it becomes current, lively, vibrant and involving.

It was rewarding to be part of a very interactive worship service in one congregation in particular that I visited: on a vertical level, as God came to us in His Word, in preaching, and in the proclamation of forgiveness; and on the horizontal level, as we worshipped with one another, confessing the Christian faith together. The service did not lack any rubric of our own Lutheran service, and was intentionally interactive and participatory. In fact, the pastor was aided during the service by several congregationally-appointed lay assistants. There was joy among the congregation over how the Gospel had been proclaimed by members during the week, and joy for the visitors who had been touched by the love of Jesus through their witness.

At another congregation in Northeast Brazil, a very special Reformation Sunday service was held that included a confirmation ceremony and a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. A great number of visitors were in attendance. Youth and young adults led the congregation in singing contemporary songs focused on the Sunday’s theme: Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone.

It was also exciting to see a number of visitors had come that day specifically to pick up their orders of a yearly devotional book called A Mighty Fortress. The book is put out by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil, and many visitors had come to pick up copies to distribute to family members and other non-Christian friends. At the end of the service, the congregation sang “A Mighty Fortress,” and then many went forth with the goal of sharing the devotional book (and Christ) with others. 

May the Holy Spirit continue to motivate, strengthen and encourage LCC’s partner the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brazil in its witness of the Gospel. May He also be with each LCC congregation, strengthening and encouraging us in our efforts to reach out to others, build bridges for the sake of the Gospel, and welcome all people into our corporate worship services.

Rev. Dr. Leonardo Neitzel is Director of Mission and Social Ministry for Lutheran Church–Canada.

The church in Kampong Chang

by James Morgan

Our Cambodian Lutheran brothers and sisters in Christ need our help. Severe flooding in recent months has affected over 90,000 families and killed 148 people in the Southeast Asian country, destroying 63,000 homes and 170,000 hectares of agricultural land. Rev. Vanarith Chhim, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cambodia (ELCC) says most church members lost their crops and livestock and are finding it difficult to receive government aid due to Buddhist flood victims being given priority. 

In response to the crisis, the ELCC asked Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) for support to help 150 Cambodian families recover from the flooding. LCC responded by pledging $10,000 US. This will go toward providing families with water filters, rice, tents, medication, and canned foods. 

“We signed an agreement of cooperation with the Cambodian church earlier this year,” explained Rev. Dr.Leonardo Neitzel, LCC’s mission executive. “The funds we can provide are a concrete way for us to show them we support their efforts to touch lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through social ministry.”

In a report outlining the project, President Chhim states the church plans to help the families with health and wellness issues and provide assistance preparing for any future flooding. While most of the aid is being delivered in a one-time, ten-day time-frame, the ELCC plans to make the water filter component of the project a two-year effort. 

The materials will go to five provinces in the upper part of Cambodia.  Twenty-five families each in the Kampong Cham and Prey Veng provinces will receive assistance along with 30 families in Kampong Thom province. Help will go to 35 families each in the provinces of Kampong Chhnang and Kampot.

Relief efforts will reach anyone affected by the floods, not just ELCC members

“Our partner church in Cambodia will distribute LCC relief efforts to all who have been affected by the tragedy and will give impact to the voice of the Gospel in each community as our brothers and sisters respond to their call to reach out to those who suffer,” Dr. Neitzel explained. He suggested to keep in mind the words of Jesus: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” (Matt. 25:35-36).

Dr. Neitzel asks Lutherans across Canada “to continue praying for our fellow Christians in Cambodia and make a contribution to the relief efforts.”

To donate online go to www.lutheranchurch.ca/donate or send a cheque made out to Lutheran Church–Canada, with Cambodian Flood Relief in the memo line to 3074 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2.

The Annunciation (Detail from the Mérode Altarpiece)

Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines has announced the date of its annual Advent Lessons and Carols service. Scheduled for December 4 at 4:00 p.m., the event will feature The Seminary Choir and Resurrection Lutheran Choir, under the direction of Diane Humann and accompanied by brass, strings and organ. Humann is a longtime member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and Music Director for Resurrection Lutheran (St. Catharines).

With a dual focus on Scripture and music, the event celebrates the longing for Christ observed by the Church during Advent. Members of the seminary community read lessons from the prophets about the coming of Christ, and the congregation and choirs sing Advent hymns and carols. The service culminates with a proclamation of the Christmas Gospel.

Lutheran Church–Canada’s other seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, Edmonton has put its annual Advent service on hiatus this year as it searches for a new president. Previously, the seminary has organized German-language services on even years and services of Lessons and Carols on odd years.

by Michael Schiemann

Our world is changing at an incredible pace. Everywhere you look, things are not as they once were. Cities are growing, countries are changing. Even people do not seem to think and act the same way as in the past.

One of the greatest changes is in the area of technology—a change that will affect how people think and act in the future. Although it is important to recognize that these changes affect how we share the Gospel, the message will never change.

Although it is important to recognize that these changes affect how we share the Gospel, the message will never change.

Education is not exempt from these changing tides. The common phrase, “Back when I went to school…” tells of a time when people focused on the three ‘Rs’ and walked to school in -40 degree weather, up hill both ways, of course. People learned what they needed for those times and it produced many successful professionals, trade workers, and other employees important for our society. The classroom ‘back in the day’ is now referred to as a ‘traditional classroom,’ but you find the principles it taught and upheld in today’s classrooms.

However, 21^st century schools look and feel much different than those of 10, 15, or 20 years ago. Educational changes have impacted greatly how teachers handle subjects in a classroom and how material is applied.

Whereas in the past information was given to students, today’s students are encouraged to use tools provided for them to find or even construct information. Generally, teachers serve more as guides rather than the ultimate source of knowledge. It is more important today for teachers to learn where and how to access information than it is for them to have memorized and simply recite information to students, then see if the students can memorize and recite it back.

Pushing the envelope

One of the major reasons for this educational change is advances in technology. Many parents today ask what technology a school uses, the answer partly determining where their children will attend. They come to a school looking for things such as SMART Boards, student response systems, access to computers, and teachers who know how to use them. Parents don’t want to send their children to school simply to absorb. They want them to learn how to learn, preparing them for an ever-changing society when they graduate. For schools, it is critical to recognize this and assist parents in raising their children.

The biggest challenge is determining where students could end up by the time they finish their formal education. We have to teach students how to be active members of the 21^st century society. Rather than just teaching them about specific computer programs or hardware, we must teach them how to integrate these tools into their daily lives so that when they enter their professions they realize that technology is there to help them—a tool to aid them in solving daily challenges.

Even more important than preparing students to use technology is the importance of teaching students about their loving Saviour. They need to know Jesus and how to defend their faith in a world becoming ever more hostile to young Christians.

This hostility comes in the private challenges students face. When they enter their Facebook account and feel they can type or say anything they want, what do they say? In those moments, students feel as though no one is watching and they take critical steps in showing their faith, character, and responsibility. Yet, in those same moments, do they, like Peter, deny Christ, or do they stand up for the God who loves and redeems them? The true challenge of today is planting the seeds of faith and equipping students with tools to stand the trials that will come.

The true challenge of today is planting the seeds of faith and equipping students with tools to stand the trials that will come.

Working together

For a truly successful, faith-nurturing environment for children three things must align: home, school, and church—each sharing a consistent message students can understand. When a student comes to a Lutheran school, it is quickly evident whether he or she has a church background and if parents support the faith walk of their child in the home through regular prayer, devotion, and encouragement.

Together, we must pray for each child as they grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord. The school’s involvement in this process is extensive, but so is the involvement of the church. 

To make the church’s learning environment as effective as it can be, it is important for congregational leaders, Sunday school teachers and youth leaders to understand the fundamental technological shift, and work with home and school for the sake of the child. What worked in the past will not be as powerful a learning tool today as it may once have been. Are children and youth allowed to bring their iPods, tablets or mp3 players to the programs? What about cell phones and cameras? If they do, will this cause them to go into their own corners and not to socialize and interact with one another? What if they get lost or stolen? The questions are endless. However, rather than looking at the negative aspects, what if we stop and look at the benefits.

Teaching facts about the Bible is essential, but how they are taught is just as important.  Think about how to bring your Sunday school or youth group into a technological environment.

Teaching facts about the Bible is essential, but how they are taught is just as important.

First, encourage children and youth to connect with one another on line. There are many tools that allow teachers, parents, or youth workers to post information and messages online and let children add comments. Since kids are online anyways, why not give them a safe place to go—a place where they can share their thoughts on a variety of topics.

One way to do this is to establish a Facebook page for your group. Facebook groups allow for someone to post a topic, and for people to comment on it. This could easily set the stage for what you’d be discussing the next time you meet, and it allows students to process it long after the conversation is over.

Second, bring in outsiders. I’ve found as a teacher that many times having students hear something from someone else reinforces the point I’m making and gives them the feeling there’s a bigger world out there. Many online tools make this easy to do. One of the easiest ones to use is Skype. Have kids use this tool as well. They could Skype in a friend, a relative or someone who may have different opinions. It opens up meaningful conversation.

Using online resources

There are also many graphics programs online that allow children to “draw out” what is in their mind. They could use tools like www.kerpoof.com, which allows them to create online pictures, comics, or stories about what they know. This engages kids and can be a great way to communicate with your congregation about what is happening in Sunday school or youth group.

What about a program that brings a picture alive? Blabberize.com allows children to take a picture and create their own sound track. They can then make the mouth move to say what they’ve recorded. This can be a fun way of allowing children to think about what it must have felt like for Peter to walk on water or for Samson when he had his hair cut or even how Jonah must have felt in the belly of the fish. Tools like this provide outlets for students to connect with these Biblical characters and the extension and application into their own lives can be quite meaningful.

There are a multitude of resources available, and it is not necessary to re-invent the wheel. I recently Googled “Jeopardy template” and found resources I could download for PowerPoint. After downloading it and playing with the categories, I had a Jeopardy game ready to go. Children also like to create these online games and it’s a great way to assess what they’re learning and a way for them to build confidence as they lead the games and their peers in a fun way.

Children today also have access to pictures and video. One of the most fun tools is something you probably already have on your laptop—Windows Movie Maker. In a quick and easy way, children can put together a simple slide show or video along with an audio file which will give them another outlet to express what it is that they know.

One of the myths of technology is that it must cost a lot of money to get a quality technology program that will do what we need it to do. While there are many resources you pay for, there are an equal number of free resources.  Using technology may involve some creativity on the part of the planner or teacher, but the bottom line is that resources are there.

A key part of today’s technology is the ability to collaborate and share. If you’ve done something successful in your program, share what has worked so others may see that same benefit. It’s important to contribute to this conversation so the idea stream continues flowing.

While technology and the world changes around us, we can be thankful for the Word of God which never changes. We can be thankful that God gives gifts to His church through His Word and through His people so that all may be built up, and that children may come to hear and know the God who loves them, who gave His Son for their redemption. Thanks be to God for His wonderful gifts.

Deacon Michael Schiemann is principal at Hope Lutheran Christian School in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer

For The Canadian Lutheran‘s recent article on biblical authority “Standing firm: The cost of confessing the Word of God,” we wanted to include some insights from a theologically conservative Anglican perspective. To that end, we approached Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer, who was kind enough to consent to an interview. The transcript of that interview, conducted by Mathew Block, appears here as a supplement to the magazine article. In the following, Dr. Packer shares his thoughts on biblical authority, homosexuality, and world Anglicanism, articulating along the way how a truly biblical ecumenicism ought to look.

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MB     In your book Fundamentalism and the Word of God, you write that “the problem of authority is the most fundamental problem that the Christian Church ever faces.” Why do you think that is?

JIP       If the authority of God expressed in Scripture isn’t accurately grasped and responded to, all the Church is out of step with the Lord, and so constructively – if not intentionally – disobeying His will, and so failing to please Him, and the life of grace and love which should bind God and His people together gets disrupted.

MB     When people abandon Scripture as that source of authority, what do they end up replacing it with?

JIP       Inevitably, their own ideas. They make themselves the final authority.

MB     You wrote that book [Fundamentalism and the Word of God] more than fifty years ago now. When you look at world Christianity today, specifically North American and European Protestantism, would you say biblical authority is still a live question?

JIP       Oh yes, yes, that has not changed. There are a number of denominations in which there have been actual splits over this question – the Anglican Church being one of them.

MB     Some of our readers will be unaware of events that have unfolded in the Anglican Communion over the last number of years regarding such things as the ordination of practising homosexuals. As far as division over the authority of Scripture goes, what would you say is the current situation in the Anglican Communion, and how did it get there?

JIP       Anglicanism, until the middle of the last century, was very much dominated by the thinking and the money that was located in North America and in Britain. During the last sixty years, however, the younger Anglican churches in Africa and Asia have reached the point of self-determination and self-governance. They are not dependent on England and the United States in the way that they were. And I am glad to say that the majority of younger churches are clear on what, after all, is a defined Anglican doctrine in the Articles and Prayer Book – clear that Holy Scripture is the inspired Word of God, and that the teaching of Scripture, therefore, is an expression of truth and the mind of God.

We got to the present state of tension because one side of Anglicanism has always focused on sensitivity to what’s going on in the world – what we now call the secular world. In the latter part of the twentieth century, the secular world embraced positions which, according to biblical standards and in terms of the history of the Western World, are actually immoral. The ethic that accepts homosexual practice is an example of that. Indeed, it’s still the flash point for debate between the two sorts of Anglicans: the ones who say – to put it the way the World Council of Churches used to put it forty years ago – “The World must write the agenda; the Church must fit in with the World’s agenda”; and the older, truer, wiser and – I think I may fairly say – the authentically Christian position in Anglicanism and elsewhere is that God has spoken, His Word must be our guide, we can only serve Him acceptably and please Him by faithfulness to the Scripture both in what it affirms and directs, and in what it forbids and rules out.

The older, truer, wiser and – I think I may fairly say – the authentically Christian position in Anglicanism and elsewhere is that God has spoken, His Word must be our guide.

MB     It’s fair to say then, that while homosexuality has been the issue of attention for the general media, it’s really just the symptom of a much deeper issue?

JIP       It’s the flash point at which the division deep within Anglicanism about the authority of Scripture breaks surface and becomes inescapable in the sense that one has to decide whether one goes with those who accept biblical teaching about homosexuality or those who don’t.

MB     Your own church, St. John’s Vancouver, has been right in the middle of much of this tension, vocally opposing the departure from Scriptural authority.

JIP       That is so. It’s not too much to say that we have acted in a way which, under God, triggered the present division in North America.

MB     The decision to secede from the Anglican Church of Canada and put St. John’s under the authority of a South American bishop instigated a legal battle for control over the church’s property. After losing at the provincial level, your church appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. Recently that appeal was denied.

JIP       That is correct. There had already been a decision lower down. The Supreme Court of British Columbia had decided that the property goes with the existing Anglican Church of Canada. We don’t believe that in our case justice was done by that decision, but that’s the decision that was made and we have to live with it.

MB     The congregation is leaving the property then?

JIP       Yes, we move in September 2011. The remarkable thing in the situation is that the congregation is solid. You might expect that the necessity of moving would split the congregation: that some would say, “Well, I’m staying put”; and others would say, “Look, we’ve got to go. We’ve been told that, and if we’re not going to climb down in our theology, go we must.” But no, we’re all together. And we’re a large congregation; there are about a thousand of us.

MB     In 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to begin ordaining practising homosexuals and moved to approve gay marriage. In July of this year, its Canadian counterpart, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, followed suit. And recently the Presbyterian Church (USA) has begun moving in a similar direction. Why do you think the abandonment of scriptural authority is so rampant in mainline Protestant denominations?

JIP       This particular issue has been a flashpoint in Western society ever since homosexual behaviour between consenting adults was decriminalized all through the English speaking world in the 1960′s. And there are quite a number of people in all parts of the English speaking western world (and elsewhere for that matter), who want to practise homosexual behaviour with other consenting adults. It’s that pressure that has forced the issue on so many of the historic churches of Protestant Christendom. And the story has been the same in church after church – namely, that the majority of people for whatever reason say, “Well, this is not an issue to split the church over. If they must do it, let them do it.” There’s a minority in Anglicanism, Presbyterianism and Lutheranism, who say, “No. God forbids it. It’s a breaching of the doctrine of created sexuality – a very basic part of the doctrine of man, not a secondary issue. And we must do what God says.” Whether it’s right in the eyes of God to follow human ideas or to cleave to His Word is an issue on which people have to come clean. They have to judge and come down on one side or the other of the fence. Unfortunately, a majority in the older churches seem regularly to come down on the wrong side of the fence.

Whether it’s right in the eyes of God to follow human ideas or to cleave to His Word is an issue on which people have to come clean.

MB     This is a problem primarily in Western Christianity. As you said earlier, Anglicans in Africa (and Lutherans for that matter) have been strongly calling for their western counterparts to return to a faith rooted in the authority of the Scriptures.

JIP       Yes, they have. They have not had a large internal constituency calling for liberalization at this point. Actually, this is the moment I think at which to say, those who part company with biblical authority do so not on the grounds that some of the things that the Bible teaches are not the truth of God, but rather, they would say, on the grounds that the Bible is being misinterpreted by those who take it literally and restrictively. Putting it positively, the liberals would say, “When Jesus came, He established love – that is, good will and affirmation – as the basic rule of Christian conduct person to person, and everything in human affairs must be made relative to the absolute supremacy of the law of love.” That’s how their theology goes. It has many different forms, but that’s the central stress of it.

MB     Would you call it a form of antinomianism [anti-Law theology], then?

JIP       Yes I would. But just by saying that, we convey actually nothing to the people who are erring in this fashion. They never believed that Scripture ought to be understood as God’s moral law, God’s relational law in any ordinary sense of the word “law.” For them, the spirit of love must conquer everything.

MB     Lutheran Church – Canada and its American counterpart the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod have traditionally been hesitant to take part in ecumenical discussions in the past. Since the formation of the Anglican Church in North America, however, we have begun dialogue with ACNA. The fracturing of denominations over the question of biblical authority is a tragic thing to be sure, but to what extent would you say it also provides an opportunity for new relationships between orthodox Christian denominations, new unity in our mutual adherence to the concept of “Sola Scriptura”?

JIP       I would be cautious in my use of the word “unity.” But if one is prepared to substitute the word “partnership,” I would say, “Yes, through the providence of God, here we have new opportunities for partnership between people who genuinely do share the authentic biblical faith.” The tensions and church divisions that have become a reality have made all of us realize that it is sometimes to one’s advantage to form new relationships and bring together all the people who are united against a particular form of error. That, after all, was one of the discoveries of the sixteenth century Reformation. That was with respect to the Gospel and the truth of justification by faith. Now it’s happening again with regard to ethics and the understanding of biblical teaching, Christ’s teaching, God’s revealed will about human behaviour.

Through the providence of God, here we have new opportunities for partnership between people who genuinely do share the authentic biblical faith.

MB     I think I can agree with you that “partnership” might be a better word choice than “unity.”

JIP       The reason why I shy off the word “unity” is that it still has the overtones that it had so strongly in the 1950s and 1960s – namely, the attendant thought of the desirability of structural integration so that you will have a single administrative hierarchy running all the churches that have come together. I don’t believe that that is any part of the New Testament concept of church unity. I believe that unity is, first of all, a different fact in Christ. It is, secondly, a relational reality that has got to be expressed in love and cooperation.

MB     One final question: You brought up, a moment ago, the Reformation. Given the amount of Christians who are standing up to their denominational bodies, do you think we might be in the midst of a new reformation of some sort?

JIP       I think it would be misleading, honestly, to suppose that we are. What you have – obviously, it seems to me – is instead a situation in which a remnant who are not able to lead Christendom in any effective way because there aren’t enough of them – you have a remnant who are standing fast while the rest of the church, the much larger community, at least in the West, are basically selling themselves down the river. But the remnant stands fast. It’s a remnant situation, I think, that we’re in. It’s not quite the same as a reformation situation. If you want a historical analogy, take the fourth century when not everybody, at certain periods not a majority, would stand with Athanasius against the world as he campaigned for the deity of Christ and the Trinity. Arianism almost won over a period of about sixty years.

MB     An interesting analogy. I think that about wraps up my major questions. I just want to thank you on behalf of our readers who I’m sure will greatly appreciate your thoughts on these issues. It’s been a very insightful conversation. Let me just say in closing that I hope the move for St. John’s goes as smoothly as it can, given the circumstances.

JIP       Thank you very much for the good wishes. I think I can tell you in response that it looks as though it’s going to be.

—–—–—–—–—–

Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer is widely considered one of the most influential Evangelical theologians in the world, and a leading figure among theologically conservative Anglicans. Among his many accomplishments, he served as General Editor for the English Standard Version translation of the Bible, the translation which appears in Lutheran Service Book and The Lutheran Study Bible. He lives in Vancouver, where for many years he served as professor of theology at Regent College.

[The interview took place in early September 2011 and appears here by kind permission of Dr. Packer.].

Rev. Dr. Norman Threinen

The Board of Regents of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS), Edmonton has announced the appointment of Rev. Dr. Norman Threinen as interim president, effective January 1, 2012. 

Dr. Threinen’s history with the seminary dates back to its inception in 1984 when he joined the faculty as an assistant professor. He became a full professor in 1993, a position he held until his retirement in 2002. Dr. Threinen also served as Acting President of CLS in 2003-2004 when then-president Rev. Andy Bacon was engaged in military chaplain duty.

“The board is very grateful that Dr. Threinen is willing to lead the seminary during this transitional time,” said Rev. Mark Dressler, chair of the Board of Regents. “We ask the community of Lutheran Church–Canada to keep both of the seminaries in their individual and corporate prayers.”

Dr. Threinen takes over as interim president from Rev. Dr. Edwin Lehman who is currently serving in that position following the resignation of President Manfred Zeuch at the end of October.

by Mathew Block

“Sola scriptura” was the great rallying cry of the Reformation, the firm belief that “Scripture alone” was the final authority in all matters of faith. Whatever differences arose between the many denominational traditions coming out of the Protestant reformation, this was one thing they held in common (at least in theory): the conviction that the existing church had abandoned Scriptural authority in favour of human tradition. What was needed, they all argued, was a return to the Bible by examining its words carefully and prayerfully, and considering how the Church through the centuries has understood those words.

Fast-forward five centuries and the Church is still arguing over the authority of Scripture. What was once a great affirmation of faith has, for many Protestants, become a question: Scripture alone? Five hundred years on and the Church is still battling over the same questions.

Tipping point

The powder keg issue during the Reformation was the sale of indulgences. Today it is sexuality—specifically homosexuality. In denomination after denomination, this issue has awakened many Christians to the much larger question of the authority of Scripture. This surface point of contention covers a much deeper disagreement: can the Church change doctrine (for example, its definition of sin) based on popular opinion, or do the Scriptures remain authoritative in every generation? There still remain many Protestants who subscribe to “Scripture alone,” but an increasing number have begun abandoning that fundamental Protestant doctrine in favour of what they would call a more “culturally sensitive” Gospel.

Sadly, those on the side of biblical authority frequently are the minority in their denominations. As a result, they often become the targets of oppression from their national church bodies. Perhaps nowhere has this been more evident than in the Anglican Communion. Indeed, it is in Anglicanism the current theological battle over sexuality really began in earnest.

Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer

Rev. Dr. J.I. Packer, noted Evangelical Anglican theologian, has been involved in the controversy since its beginning. He says of his own congregation, St. John’s in Vancouver, “It is not too much to say that we have acted in a way which, under God, triggered the present division in North America.”

After vocally opposing the movement away from biblical authority in their national church body, St. John’s, the largest Anglican congregation in Canada, eventually voted to secede from the increasingly liberal Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), instead aligning itself instead under a South American Anglican bishop. The issue? The authority of Scripture—specifically, what Scripture says about homosexuality.

Whose agenda?

North American Anglicanism (and mainline Protestantism in general) had begun demonstrating too close an allegiance to the secular world, according to Dr. Packer. It had devoted itself to the idea that “the Church must fit in with the world’s agenda.” Dr. Packer explains, “In the latter part of the twentieth century, the secular world embraced positions which, according to biblical standards, are actually immoral. The ethic that accepts homosexual practice is an example of that.” In St. John’s and a number of other churches throughout Canada and the United States, the issue of sexuality became the crisis point: would they let the world or Scripture set the Church’s agenda? For St. John’s, the choice was clear: “The authentically Christian position in Anglicanism and elsewhere is that God has spoken; His Word must be our guide.”

God has spoken; His Word must be our guide.

Standing up against error has not exactly been a walk in the park though. For numerous congregations in the Anglican Church of Canada (and, in their American counterpart, the Episcopal Church), standing on the Word of God came with severe legal ramifications. Canadian courts have generally understood the episcopal structure of Anglicanism to mean the denomination—not the congregation—owns church property. So when a congregation decides to leave the ACC for a more theologically orthodox group like the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the denomination often attempts to strip them of the property. Generally speaking, they succeed.

In the courts

Dr. Packer’s church, St. John’s in Vancouver, faced just that sort of battle. It fought the ACC for the right to its property, arguing it was the denomination and not the congregation which had changed theological allegiance. The congregation, they argued, was still teaching faithfully the doctrine for which the property was originally dedicated.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia disagreed; the building, the court said, belonged to the ACC. St. John’s appealed, but the Supreme Court of Canada recently turned down the appeal. The decision has now forced St. John’s (and three other congregations involved in the same legal battle) to leave their church buildings behind. And it is a growing problem across North America; recently, another conservative Anglican church in Windsor was forced to vacate its building.

Lutherans too!

Bishop John Bradosky

Legal wrangling has not characterized the battle in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada. But that does not mean the experiences are any less trying for those involved. Like the Anglican Church, the ELCA’s problems exploded over the subject of sexuality. “But the far deeper issue,” explains recently-elected Bishop John Bradosky of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC), “is the authority of Scripture.”

In 2009, the ELCA narrowly voted to open the ranks of the clergy to practising homosexuals, and also to approve officiating at same-sex marriages. In response, a number of disaffected congregations began leaving the denomination—a lengthy process requiring a series of votes in which two-thirds of the congregation must vote in favour of seceding. Then, the congregation must join a new Lutheran denomination. Finally, the local bishop must approve the congregation’s departure—a decision to which she or he is not obligated. In at least one case, the bishop refused, arguing the property was necessary for the ELCA’s outreach. Before being allowed to leave the denomination some other congregations have had to pay back decades-old grants.

Of those congregations which have succeeded in leaving the ELCA, a number have affiliated with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, a denomination which broke off from the ELCA in 2001. The majority of others voted in 2010 to form the North American Lutheran Church—a denomination which has grown to more than 250 congregations in just one year. Many other disaffected ELCA congregations are still in the process of trying to leave.

For Bishop Bradosky, as for most disaffected ELCA Lutherans, the issue is less about sexuality per se than a recognition that the ELCA no longer seems to accept a Lutheran understanding of Scriptural authority. The denomination, he argues, has become “more controlled by issues and agendas than by the authority of the Word.” To simply suggest that what the Scriptures say about homosexual practice is not applicable for today is to not take the Bible seriously. “That’s not a faithful way to interpret the Scripture,” he says. “It’s certainly not a Lutheran way to interpret the Word of God. I think the way we’ve used the Word of God has really failed to live up to the integrity of our confessional and historical background.”

What about Luther?

Martin Luther would likely agree with Bishop Bradosky’s assessment. In one of his books, Luther criticizes a man named Latomus for refusing to call sin, sin. Latomus argued that after baptism, Christians no longer sinned; at worst, they had merely the “appearance” of sin.

For Luther, this was simply man-made nonsense; the Scriptures did not support the idea. And so his response to Latomus was particularly scathing. Were he alive today, we might expect he would have similar words for those Lutherans who refuse to call sin what the Scriptures clearly call sin:

“Here I entreat you, dear reader, be free and a Christian. Do not swear allegiance to any word of man, but be a steadfast adherent of the holy Scriptures. If it calls anything sin, beware of being influenced by the words of any of those who—as if they could speak better—deny sin itself…. Believe me, the Holy Spirit is quite capable of expressing His meanings in suitable words, so that there is no need for human inventions.”

The Holy Spirit is quite capable of expressing His meanings in suitable words, so that there is no need for human inventions.

For Luther, sin is sin. We do no good by pretending it is anything else; we must not obscure the clear meaning of the Scriptures. If we are to truly realize what grace is, Luther writes elsewhere, “we must bear the true, not an imaginary sin.” It is only in recognizing we are broken, sinful people that we come to realize our need for grace. The Law shows us our sin to drive us to Christ, because in Christ alone there is forgiveness. In Christ alone there is salvation.

Canadian context

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) voted this summer to go the same direction as its American counterpart. Like the aftermath which is rocking the ELCA, the Canadian situation undoubtedly will be similarly volatile. When asked whether the North American Lutheran Church is currently fielding enquiries from disaffected ELCIC congregations, Bishop Bradosky is to the point: “Absolutely.” He notes that a number of Canadians attended the recent NALC convocation and that Canadian congregations are already requesting NALC officials to visit and advise them on leaving the ELCIC.

After seeing how far their national church bodies have departed from the Word of God, many congregations and individual Christians are waking up—confessing of Scripture the words attributed to Martin Luther: “Here I stand. I can do no other.” Like Luther, many making that confession today face fierce opposition from the world around them.

Standing together

If we must make that stand, we do not do so alone. We ought to commend and defend others who are similarly committed to the authority of Scripture. Dr. Packer suggests that now, “through the providence of God, we have new opportunities for partnership between people who genuinely do share the authentic biblical faith.” This may be a time for Lutherans and Anglicans committed to God’s Word to stand together.

This may be a time for Lutherans and Anglicans committed to God’s Word to stand together.

Dr. John R. Stephenson

Dr. John R. Stephenson, professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario holds similar sentiments. “We’re really discovering new areas of Christian solidarity,” he says. Dr. Stephenson is Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) representative to recent dialogues between LCC and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) on one side and the Anglican Church in North America on the other. “At this stage, we’ve had two conversations,” he reports, with two more meetings to come. They have gone well thus far, he says. “When we discuss the creeds and Scriptures, we realize we’re on the same page.”

But we don’t ignore the differences which may exist between our church bodies; we must recognize disagreements as such whenever they arise. At this point, Dr. Stephenson cautions, “It would be unwise to aim for too much.” But he also warns that “it may not be wise to aim for too little either.” When the current discussions end, he and his LCMS and ACNA counterparts will report back to their respective church bodies. “Then,” Dr. Stephenson says, “it will be up to the church leaderships to decide where to take it from there—to work out whatever relationships are appropriate.”

In the meantime, there is value in standing together on those things in which we agree—namely, the authority of Scripture. As Dr. Stephenson explains, “You can begin to feel as though you have your back to the wall; it’s really rather nice to recognize kindred spirits, to know that there are others batting on the same side as us.” Dr. Packer agrees: “It is sometimes to one’s advantage to form new relationships and bring together all the people who are united against a particular form of error.” It was, he says, what the Reformers discovered over the subject of justification. “Now,” Dr. Packer suggests, “it’s happening again with regard to ethics and the understanding of biblical teaching, Christ’s teaching, God’s revealed will about human behaviour.”

Bishop Bradosky takes a similar perspective. “It is certainly a time for the confessing church to stand up and to come together in meaningful ways—to mark the differences between just being part of the institutional church and taking seriously the claim of the Gospel and the cost of discipleship.” The NALC will begin dialogue with the LCMS in December 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. There will no doubt be some frank discussions (the NALC and the LCMS/LCC hold very different opinions on the subject of female ordination, for example). The extent to which participants can affirm each other’s understanding of Scripture is not yet known. Nevertheless, the NALC is optimistic. “We look forward to continued conversation and work together,” Bishop Bradosky says, “to developing relationships with new and faithful partners.”

The role of LCC

And that is precisely the opportunity before Lutheran Church–Canada: being faithful partners with those willing to affirm the authority of God’s Word. At the national level LCC is part of the dialogue between confessional Lutherans and the ACNA, for example. But support is emerging at the local level as well. Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Vancouver, for example, recently welcomed disaffected Anglican congregation St. Matthias and St. Luke’s Church to share its facility, as the Anglican congregation recently lost its property to the ACC.

Dr. Stephenson well articulates how LCC should respond: “We want in our hearts to be open to these brothers and sisters,” he says. We can stand together with other faithful Christians to proclaim the authority of the Word of God. We can stand together against the error of culture-led Christianity, and affirm the importance of a Christ-led faith, founded on the Bible. We are part of the Christian Church universal; and on the authority of Scripture, we can and must stand together.

LAMP missionary/pilot Rev. Steve Dreher

The Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) is mourning the loss of a missionary/pilot who helped bring the light of Christ to many. Rev. Steve Dreher of Salida,Colorado died Thursday, November 10 when his twin-engine Cessna crashed in a field near Alamosa,Colorado. Rev. Dreher was a full-time missionary/pilot with LAMP, the Edmonton-based cross-cultural ministry that aims to share the love of Jesus Christ with people in remote areas of northern Canada.

On his blog (www.lightaboutmypath.blogspot.com), he posted a devotion on October 30, using his experience supporting a vacation Bible school (VBS) in the Northern Ontario community of Fort Severn last spring to explain Psalm 103 as an example of how God continually seeks out believers and saves us from our transgressions. His love for the aboriginal people in the north is obvious through the many photos and video of their communities, art, and smiling children taking part in VBS programs.

In a 2007 LAMPLighter newsletter article, Rev. Dreher wrote about how much he enjoyed visiting the many friends he had made in the north and praised God for using LAMP as the tool that allowed him to bring the Gospel to the people there. “He encouraged me to keep working with the kids and keep steadfast in my faith,” says a resident of one northern community in one of the many comments recently posted on his blog.

“We at LAMP are all in shock at this time. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ is sustaining us in this hour of deep sadness and loss,” says Rev. Bill Ney, a fellow LAMP missionary/pilot. LAMP is asking for prayers for Rev. Dreher’s wife Sarah and daughter Katie, his extended family, and LAMP staff.

According to an article in the Alamosa Valley Courier newspaper, the aircraft Rev. Dreher was flying was built in 1976 but had undergone total body maintenance earlier this year. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are conducting an on-site investigation to determine a cause of the crash.

Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP) is a Listed Service Organization of Lutheran Church–Canada.

Updated: November 13, 2011

Each year in early November Christians around the world pray for those who are persecuted for their faith as part of International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP)

by James Morgan

In recent months persecution against Christians around the world has received more attention. While it appears the number of incidents has increased, is this the case, and if so, why? And what is the nature of the persecution?

To paraphrase Webster’s Dictionary, persecution is the act of injuring, afflicting, or harassing with unjust punishment for alleged offences. The definition explicitly refers to inflicting pain from hatred towards those adhering to a particular creed or mode of worship.

Several recent events have highlighted the mistreatment of Christian minorities around the world, and implied they are becoming more frequent. The most prominent was the bombing of a Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt on New Year’s Day, leaving 22 people dead. Coptic Christians make up 10 percent of Egypt’s population. They often complain of mistreatment in society and accuse the government of not doing anything to confront rising Islamic prejudice.

Up to 70 Iranian Christians were detained during the Christmas season without any legal reason or due process, according to Elam Ministries, an organization dedicated to helping Christians in Iran.

Voice of the Martyrs, another organization concerned with the persecuted church reported that on January 4 of this year, the governor ofPakistan’sPunjab province was shot dead by one of his bodyguards for defending Christians against a new national law against blasphemy towards Islam. Similarly, a Christian woman in Pakistan was sentenced to death under the same law, her husband and children subjected to harassment forcing them to flee their home. A radical cleric placed a $6000 price on her head.

In Afghanistan, where western military forces are fighting to contain fundamentalist elements, a man was detained in May, 2010 because of his Christian faith and remains in detention, according to the World Evangelical Alliance. Also in Afghanistan, a Christian convert has been jailed for his faith since May 2010 and faces execution.

In Vietnam, Voice of the Martyrs reports the government recently cracked down on Christianity by preventing a major Christmas celebration at a convention centre in Hanoi. In Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), a pastor was arrested, beaten unconscious, and authorities demolished his home and Bible school. He was later released.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the World Evangelical Alliance reports the military dictatorship in Myanmar (formerly Burma), ordered the closure of a Baptist church for not supporting the military-controlled political party.

Why the interest?

While many of these incidents were reported by organizations concerned with the persecuted church, most of them received significant attention from the mainstream, secular media in Canada and the United States. This increased attention from secular media indicates the issue has increased in significance.

But is this a matter of increased persecution or increased media attention? Material released by Christian organizations dealing explicitly with the issue and statements from church authorities would indicate an increase in persecution.

Open Doors, an organization founded in the 1950s, originally focused on serving persecuted Christians behind the Iron Curtain. Today, much of its concern is for Christians in Islamic countries and Southeast Asia. Each year, it issues a World Watch List of the top ten most difficult countries in which to live as a Christian. Not surprisingly, for 2011,North Korea is number one, but eight other countries are those with Islamic majorities and in seven of those Open Doors believes persecution has increased.

Following North Korea is Iran, where the government is clamping down on house churches. Third place is Afghanistan where government legislation is unclear about the rights of Christians, and converts of Muslim background are often persecuted and Christian aid organizations are accused of evangelism. In fourth is Saudi Arabia where citizens are forbidden by law to convert to Christianity, fifth place Somalia is in near anarchy and warlords prevent Christian aid organizations from supplying food to people. The government in the tiny island nation of Maldives falsely states the country is 100 percent Muslim, earning it sixth place on the list. At number seven is Yemen, where the government seeks to expel all Christian aid workers, and Iraq has risen from seventeenth place to eighth, due to Christians being targeted in an anti-western backlash. The two biggest incidents were in May when a bomb attack killed buses full of Christian students, and in October 2010 when terrorists attacked at Baghdad church.

Uzbekistanis in ninth place due to increased arrests of Christians and intimidation from the Muslim clergy, and negative portrayal of Christianity in the media. Finally, in tenth place is Laos. Christians in the communist Southeast Asian country bordering Vietnam face legislative restrictions on practicing their faith. Converts often face societal pressure and believers are often arrested and subjected to extreme physical and emotional pressure to renounce their faith.

So, why the apparent increase in incidents of persecution against Christians? A member of a Lutheran Church–Canada congregation in western Canada, who requested his name not be disclosed for security reasons, is a passionate authority on Christians living in the face of persecution. Much of his enthusiasm comes from his wife, a convert to Christianity from Islam. “She came to faith in Christ as a result of a direct revelation from Him—well before she met me,” he says.

As for the reason behind increasing persecution of Christians in Iran, he believes the country’s hard line Islamic government feels threatened. “The significant growth of Christianity in Iran in recent years has undoubtedly got the government very worried. Since the 1979 revolution, it seems that at least 250,000 Iranians have come to Christ, compared to a very small number before then. What really threatens the fundamentalists is when someone converts from Islam to Christianity—they see this as apostasy.”

Dr. John Stephenson, professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines Ontario confirms that radical Islam is the wellspring for much of the persecution. “The overwhelming source of violent, often lethal persecution of Christians in the world today, is Islam,” Dr. Stephenson succinctly notes. The B.C. source however cautions that while Islamic fundamentalists might be the current primary focus, they are not the only source, noting that Christians in India have also suffered at the hands of Hindus. Overall, he believes the increased media attention the issue is receiving confirms “that Christians around the world are increasingly being targeted.”

Christians have died for their faith as martyrs since the very beginning

A history of persecution

Although persecution is increasing, there is proof these kinds of incidents have happened since the beginning of Christianity. Dr. Stephenson gives several examples. “From the moment the Islamists burst out of Arabia upon Mohammed’s death in 633 AD, Islam has been spread by force,” he says, adding that in countries where Islam became dominant “Jews and Christians, as ‘people of the book,’ were often permitted the second-class existence of ‘dhimmitude.’” However, this second class status meant those of faiths other than Islam were subjected to penalties and fines. “In today’s Egypt, the Coptic Christians—who are descendants of the original Christians—are severely harassed…the Copts have long been a martyr church,” Dr. Stephenson says, adding that if history had taken a different course, a similar situation could exist today in parts of the world with a Christian heritage. He says that while the educational and media establishments of our present time “demonize” the Church for the Crusades, they were in fact “at root an act of self defence,” on its part.

“If Charles Martel, grandfather of Charlemagne, had not defeated the Arabs at Poitiersin 732 AD, all of Western Europe would have been forcibly Islamized,” he concludes and adds that a similar situation existed in 1529 whenVienna was under threat from the Turks. The preface to the Augsburg Confession refers to this in its first sentences: “A short time ago Your Imperial Majesty graciously summoned a diet of the empire to convene here in Augsburg. In the summons Your Majesty indicated an earnest desire to deliberate concerning matters pertaining to the Turk, that traditional foe of ours and of the Christian religion, and with continuing help he might effectively be resisted,” writes Philipp Melanchthon. Dr. Stephenson notes the Turks actually besiegedVienna over a century later in 1683.

Christians have died for their faith as martyrs since the very beginning. The New Testament book of Acts records the martyrdom of Stephen. Dr. Stephenson refers to Revelation 2:14 where Jesus stands against those who follow false doctrines. “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to Idols, and to commit sexual immorality.” In this verse he explains that the Lord Jesus “stands fast in His confession of the truth and patiently bears the consequences in the shape of the world’s wrath,” meaning “Christ himself is the first martyr.” He continues his explanation, stating that Christians in the second century were persecuted for beliefs and practices non-Christians perceived them to have—including atheism—since they had rejected the Greco-Roman gods. The Eucharist, when celebrated behind closed doors was seen as a front for wild orgies, or cannibalism, since the believers said they were eating the body and blood of Christ.

Field perspective

Dr. Roland Miller, a retired professor of religious studies and long-time LCMS missionary to India now living in Ottawa, notes Christians should not always expect everything to be peaceful for them throughout the world. “It’s part of being a disciple as Jesus said it would be,” adding that Christians have endured previous hardships under the Nazism and communism in Europe.

The closer you get to the Middle East, the harder it is to be a Christian

How do we respond to persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world? This is something Christian theologians and church leaders of every variety have started addressing lately. Pope Benedict XVI, in his annual New Year’s Day address, referred to the difficulties facing Christians such as the church bombing in Egypt, the blasphemy law in Pakistan, and restrictions on religious freedom in communist countries. “I ask all those in authority to act promptly to end every injustice against the Christians living in those lands. In the face of present difficulties, may Christ’s followers not lose heart,” said the Pope bluntly, a rarity for an address that is usually fairly general in scope. Father Raymond J. de Souza, in his regular column in the National Post followed up on the address by posing the difficult question of is it acceptable for us to respond with force to defend our faith?

Dr. Miller prefers a more peaceful approach when it comes to how Christians approach Muslims. He notes “the closer you get to the Middle East, the harder it is,” to be a Christian, and that in Canada there are 650,000 to 750,000 Muslims and no overtly difficult relations with them. “We’re living with them day after day in normal relationships,” says Dr. Miller, who is critical of the media for distorting how the relationship between the two faiths is portrayed. He would like to see efforts to de-radicalize Christian-Muslim relations instead, through strong interfaith dialogue, which he believes is already happening successfully at the grassroots level. He notes that Christ Risen Lutheran Church in Ottawa recently invited local Muslims to have tea with them at the church. The Muslims also invited the Lutherans to tour their mosque.

While similar to persecution, discrimination is treating someone or something differently or to make a difference in how rules or laws are applied. This better represents what Christians in the western world often encounter, rather than the outright intimidation and violence faced in other countries. This sort of discrimination often comes institutionally. Such examples include the recent suspension of a Christian health worker in the United Kingdom after she voiced her opinions, to her colleagues—not patients—on the risks involved with abortions. The Catholic Herald in the U.K. recently reported that Charles, the Prince of Wales, whenever he ascends to the throne, would like to be known as “defender of faiths,” rather than “Defender of the Faith,” thus diminishing institutional support for Christianity as the bedrock belief of Britain and its historic empire.

The European Union left out all Christian holidays from its 2011 day planner but kept in the festivities for other faiths. A spokesperson for the EU calls it a “blunder,” and notes that all religious holidays could be omitted in the future to avoid controversy.

Closer to home, disgruntled individuals have come close to what could be considered persecution. Over the 2010 Christmas season, vandals placed posters with anti-Christian and pro-abortion messages on the construction site of a new Youth For Christ facility in Winnipeg, and at a nearby Anglican Church. While disturbing, these incidents should not be labelled with the same severity applied to the violent situations in other parts of the world. They are probably more an indication of the increasing secularization of western society and the need for the Church to maintain its strength and relevance in the midst of change.

Whether at home or abroad, Christians can face adversity knowing that Jesus declared them “blessed.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt 5: 10-11).

Rev. Jamie Kriger at work at the microphone.

Lutherans in England plan to raise the profile of Lutheranism around the world with an Internet-based radio station. Lutheran Radio UK  will launch in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2012. It is already running a test broadcast through its website in anticipation of the official launch. 

The new radio station promises a broad format of news, commentary, music, features, and Bible study. Currently, the test broadcast runs announcements of Lutheran Radio UK’s future programming along with traditional and contemporary Christian music. 

Lutheran Radio UK is the project of Rev. Jamie Kriger, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church inPetts Wood,Kent, a congregation of Lutheran Church–Canada’s partner church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (ELCE), which is also funding the station. 

Paul Hill, an elder of the congregation is in charge of news broadcasts and promotions for the station and brings considerable experience to the project. For 37 years, he was Foreign Desk Manager of the respected London newspaper, The Daily Telegraph. “We are very excited about this and want to raise the profile of Lutherans in the UK particularly, and in the world generally,” says Mr. Hill, adding “we wish to spread the good news of Christ to as many people as we can using the new technology available today.”

A news release explains how there is a “massive blind spot” in Britain when it comes to knowledge of Lutheran Christianity and Lutheran Radio UK hopes to “shed some light on and encourage people to share the Lutheran message, teaching, and Gospel.” 

Owners of other Lutheran websites can link to Lutheran Radio UK by contacting the station and reaching a mutual agreement. 

To listen to the test broadcast of Lutheran Radio UK, download the free WINAMP media player at www.winamp.com and log on to  www.lutheranradio.co.uk. The website is still under development but the test broadcast is available.

Here is an article from the British Lutheran about the radio outreach.

Rev. Dr. Bill Anderson is director of the Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith

The director of the CCSCF, Rev. Dr. Bill Anderson, says there are many “exciting ideas being presented in the academic world from many different disciplines—and this unique centre provides a medium for disseminating the relevance of these ideas from a Christian perspective for both the academic world and the general public.”

The CCSCF will hold its first annual conference on the theme of The Humanities and the Christian Faith, May 3 and 4, 2012.

Future conferences will look at The Social Sciences and the Christian Faith (2013), The Creative and Performing Arts and the Christian Faith (2014), The Sciences and the Christian Faith (2015) and Business and the Christian Faith (2016).

Dr. Anderson notes that “both the general public and academics continue to show a strong interest in religion—and that the new Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith wants to be central in sharing that passion with intellectual, cultural and academic rigour.”

The Canadian Centre for Scholarship and the Christian Faith receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

A 2010 graduate of the University of Regina with bachelors degrees (honours) in English and linguistics, Mathew is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Regina. LCC’s Board of Directors appointed him editor at its October meetings.

Mathew brings to his new position a variety of gifts and talents. In the church, he has led Bible studies; spent a summer with a CREW Ministries team; and currently serves on the Church Council of his congregation and heads the Board of Evangelism. 

During university and after graduation he worked as a communications consultant with the Government of Saskatchewan: twice with the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, and once with the Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing. His work included writing news releases, speeches, and material for websites, as well as event-planning and advising on the use of social media.

Over the past few years, Mathew’s by-line has appeared in The Canadian Lutheran magazine and its online counterpart www.canadianlutheran.ca; National Post’s Holy Post blog; and his work will appear soon in the Vancouver-based Christian magazine Converge.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve LCC as its Manager of Communications and as editor of The Canadian Lutheran,” he said, “but I am also very excited to support the church in such a meaningful way as it proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ.” 

In addition to his active involvement at Good Shepherd, Mathew served four years on the executive of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship at U of R and represented the interests of Luther College and its students to the university’s Faculty of Arts. His involvement with Luther College included a term as assistant editor of The Luther Story magazine, the college’s bi-annual publication, and assisting the Communications and Alumni Relations Board with its strategic planning.

 Mathew Block begins his duties with Lutheran Church–Canada November 15.

Dr. Edwin Lehman, LCC president emeritus, addresses the Synod’s convention in 2011. (Photo by Chris Bruer)

After the morning chapel service, Tuesday, November 1, faculty, staff and students at Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton heard the news: “The CLS Board of Regents has appointed Dr. Edwin Lehman, LCC president emeritus, to serve as acting president.” This appointment will last until Christmas, at which time the board intends to have a longer-term Acting President in place. The board’s action follows the resignation of Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch at the end of October.

Dr. Lehman served the same role at the seminary in 1999/2000 between the service of Dr. L. Dean Hempelmann and Dr. Andy Bacon. 

A resident of Edmonton, Dr. Lehman retired as LCC president in 1996. He was the district president of the Alberta-British Columbia District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (part of Lutheran Church–Canada federation), when the church established the Edmonton seminary in 1984.

by Robert Bugbee

For all the saints who from their labours rest…

In the old days, especially in villages and out in the country, on your way into church on Sunday, you walked past gravestones. The church had its own cemetery. Sometimes you noticed upturned dirt at a marker where someone had recently been laid to rest. Sometimes your eye caught the name of a loved one who had been a big part of your life. Some names made faces come alive in your head, a former Sunday School teacher who lived well into her 90’s, a guy from your youth group cut down one Friday night in a car accident as a teenager, a mother taken from her growing children after struggling with cancer. Seeing those names and recalling those faces can make you feel empty when you think of someone you lost. It can make you smile at the memory of funny things the person did or said. Above all, the sight of those silent markers makes you reflect a bit.

Most congregations don’t maintain cemeteries anymore. In the fall of the year around early November, however, some make a point of commemorating members of the church family who have died. During the Divine Service many actually read out the names of those the Lord called away in the previous year. Hymns like Behold a Host (LSB 676) or For All the Saints (LSB 677) celebrate their glad triumph. They also call forth tears when you sing them remembering some dear one you loved … and lost.

What kind of reflecting will help when you remember your “blessed dead” who have gone to be with Christ? First of all, the things Jesus does for His children should be front and centre. It’s often a weakness in funeral sermons that the preacher goes on and on about the virtues of the person being buried, almost as though he or she was “star of the show”! (I recall a funeral I attended years ago where the pastor carried on this way. Afterward, an aunt of the man who died whispered to me, “You know, vicar, I think I knew Fred better than the pastor did!”)

Your remembrances of the blessed dead at this time of the year should focus big-time on Jesus: Christ died to save (1 Peter3:18)! Christ came alive to win victory for His children (Romans4:25)! Christ has gone ahead to prepare a place for them (St. John14:2)! That’s where authentic comfort comes from, along with the confidence that God will take care of you who may still struggle with grief (1 Thessalonians 4:18).

Remember well some of the departed faithful the Lord placed around you

There are valid reasons why modern-day congregations don’t maintain cemeteries. Still, we have often lost the healthy nudge Christians used to receive by walking past all those grave markers on their way into church. What a sweet picture it is: a church building, attended on Sunday by worshippers hearing, praying and singing, surrounded by the resting places of many who used to do the same thing at that location! It’s a snapshot of the “church militant” (the believers still struggling in this world) and the “church triumphant” (those who have victoriously endured those struggles). It’s a scene that reminds you that those who went before are not lost to you, but are still part of that great holy family created and held together by Christ Jesus our Lord.         

That’s not all the reflecting on the departed faithful you can do at this season. Some wise person called the Holy Christian Church “the only true democracy.” While many societies—including those we call “democratic”—stop counting your vote after you die, men and women who died in the faith of Christ still have much to say. Their voices and influence are a gift that keeps giving. Their words can live in your memory, offering direction and help long after they left you. The bravery they showed by enduring tests often harder than anything we have faced teaches you how God can help you bear up in a way you never imagined. The courtesy they displayed in dealing with others, the honesty that marked their relationships, their humble spirit that placed the spotlight on Christ, are strong messages they keep sharing even beyond their spoken words, even years after they died. God continues building up His people with their contribution. Even when you honestly face their weaknesses, sins and failures, it’s a comfort to realize how the Lord stands ready to do so much good through real people … not perfect people, but real people. They are not mere names on a stone or memories in your head. They show how the Bible’s words concerning Abel have come true, “…by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” (Hebrews 11:4 NIV).

In this goofy time when we’re tempted to think that immediate relevance is the only test of worth, I encourage you—in church and at home—to remember well some of the departed faithful the Lord placed around you, to take them by the hand, walk with them, listen to them and, above all, to cling to the Jesus who makes us one!

Declining membership trends continue at about 2 percent, however attendance shows an increase. Of the 67,154 baptized members, about 18,243 gather at an LCC church each Sunday, marginally more than in 2009. Average attendance per congregation increased in ABC District from 83 to 92 in 2010. East District remained at 58 and Central District declined from 69 to 67.

In 2010 overall giving increased, but ABC District congregations earmarked fewer dollars to support the work of the entire church through Synod. Both Central and East District congregations increased that amount. Overall gifts to congregations totalled more than $31.9 million, with $3.7 million going towards the district, national, and international programs conducted by LCC on behalf of all congregations. This includes such things as seminary and university college support, national and international missions, and communications. Confirmed members on average gave $939 during the year to God’s work, an increase of $185 over 2009 or $3.55 per week. LCC’s treasurer, Dwayne Cleave warned that not all congregations submit financial information so the year-over-year comparisons are difficult.

Although Canada’s birthrate has remained constant in the past three years, in 2010 there were 125 fewer infant baptisms in Lutheran Church–Canada than in 2009. Adult confirmations and baptisms increased by six to 223. “When you look at the big picture with regard to adults coming into the body of Christ, less than 20 percent of our congregations confirmed or baptized an adult,” observed LCC’s president, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee.

The number of congregations holding Sunday schools dropped from 153 to 140 and vacation Bible schools fell from 106 to 93 with about 5100 students.

“We should all be deeply troubled by one statistic,” said President Bugbee. “The attendance at Bible study is down from more than 5500 in 2009 to slightly more than 5200 last year.” During his presidency Dr. Bugbee has emphasized the need for regular study of God’s Word. “We hope and pray that those who are no longer participating in regular group study are immersing themselves in the Holy Scriptures in their personal devotional life.”

One third of LCC’s congregations do not submit statistical reports. In those cases the most recent reports received are included in some calculations.

Edutainment is a word we’ve come to know around my house as my wife and I try to be discerning parents, limiting our child’s TV viewing so she gets something out of what she watches. Hence, she watches things like Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, etc. that help her interact with, and understand the world around her.

Luther: Echoes of the Hammer is an attempt to bring that dynamic to our beloved founder and, unfortunately, ends up heavy on the “edu” and light on the “tainment”.

The book is a thorough biography of Luther’s life, covering his birth to his death and everything in between. Its wordiness and puzzling art choices make it difficult to classify it as a graphic novel. However, I do believe it has incredible value to the church.

Before I get to the ‘gospel’ of my review, I need to lay down a bit of ‘law.’

Genre mismatch

I am conflicted. I liked Luther: Echoes of the Hammer despite itself. The glaring problem is that the book is simply not what it claims to be—a graphic novel. It makes me wonder if the publishers asked someone what a graphic novel really is. I have read and enjoyed graphic novels for a long time and this is far from what I have experienced.

A graphic novel shares writing and art to tell a story in creative and imaginative ways. This book is graphic—you find more pictures in it than your average book—and a novel, telling the story of Luther from beginning to end. The art is decent but generally static, depicting events more as tableaus rather than giving a kinetic energy for which graphic novels are known. For example, at the key moment in Luther’s life when he gives his famous “…Here I stand…” speech, the artist’s choice of angle and perspective confused me. It should be a big, bold moment, with a suitably big and bold drawing but it just wasn’t there.

Additionally, there are stark, white pages with a single centred paragraph, some illustrations in colour, others in black and white with shading. The variety in the graphics made me wonder if there was a deadline looming and the book got rushed to press.

To top it off, the writing is pretty dry as though the author felt restrained by the events instead of exhilarated to write what should be such a special book. I don’t mean that it doesn’t recount the events as they happened; the problem is it does that—and only that. The writing reads like an educational text in a “this happened, then this happened” way which puts the book in conflict with itself.

Field testing

The book is aimed at youth—confirmation age kids. But my confirmands were not overly impressed.

I gave the book to two of my students, Marieka (13) and Calvin (12), to read and review. They admitted to learning a lot, but they had some issues. Marieka said, “I felt misled. A graphic novel is a comic, not a bunch of writing!” Calvin similarly observed: “If you aren’t a strong reader you probably won’t like it.” 

I asked what they would do if they got it for Christmas. Marieka replied honestly that she would pretend she was happy to receive it. Both said they would not read it for fun, but felt it was good to read for confirmation. (They then enthusiastically assured me they enjoy their confirmation classes.)

Best out there

Now, the good news. As a pastor and educator of confirmands this is by far the most accessible biography of Luther out there. There is no other book, movie or media I believe would serve the purpose of teaching confirmands the true story of Luther.

Every congregation would be well served using the book as part of its confirmation curriculum

There are some invaluable aspects to the writing and visuals. Vignettes on Phillip Melancthon and other important figures give a nice “nutshell” biography and outlines their contribution to the Reformation. Maps provide the reader with needed context. Sidebars discuss the peasant’s revolt and flesh out the history. These additions make give the book a boost in its educational benefit. For those reasons I appreciate the efforts made here.

Every congregation would be well served using the book as part of its confirmation curriculum. If this had been available when I was in confirmation I would likely have retained a lot more of the dates and events of Luther’s life and times. I know this sounds a little like I am back-pedalling, but the book has its place.

Overall Luther: Echoes of the Hammer’s biggest failing is its marketing. The term “graphic novel” carries with it certain expectations. I expect a comic book; I expect it to be somewhat entertaining; I expect something other than Luther: Echoes of the Hammer. A better description would be “an illustrated history” and would likely open it up to a broader audience.

My wife believes adults don’t read graphic novels. (Whether that is a commentary on culture or my maturity I do not know, but she has a point.) I believe many pastors, teachers, and lay people would appreciate Luther: Echoes of the Hammer for what it truly is: a well-rounded book with accessible, interesting information about the life of Martin Luther and the people and circumstances that made the world an extraordinary place to live in at that time. From this standpoint the art serves its purpose well, contextualizing the events as they are described. I will use this book from here on out as part of my teaching in confirmation and Bible studies. As long as you are aware of what you are buying, you won’t be disappointed.

Luther: Echoes of the Hammer is available from Concordia Publishing House

Rev. Andrew Craig is pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Pincher Creek, Alberta.

Rev. Mark Dressler, who will serve as third vice-president receives an LCC pectoral cross from President Bugbee.

WINNIPEG- After meeting for two days, new members of Lutheran Church–Canada’s 2011-14 Board of Directors attended Saint James Lutheran Church, Sunday, October 23 for their official installation. Their terms of office began September 1.

Guest preacher, LCC’s president, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee based his sermon on the Epistle lesson appointed for the day 1 Thes. 2: 1-13. He focused on verse 13 and the work of God’s Word in the life of the believer.

Lutheran Church–Canada Board of Directors, 2011-14. Front (l-r) East District President Paul Zabel (advisory); LCC President Robert Bugbee; Treasurer Dwayne Cleave; ABC District President Don Schiemann (advisory); Anne Taylor; Second Vice-president Thomas Kruesel; Rev. Dr. Karl Keller; First Vice-president Nolan Astley. Back (l-r) Third Vice-president Mark Dressler; Board chairman Arnold Drung; Cam Pelzer; Frank Belden; Ron Roller; Lorne Wirth; Central District President Tom Prachar (advisory). Absent: Rev. Paul Schallhorn (secretary).

The first meeting of Lutheran Church–Canada’s Board of Directors for the 2011-2014 triennium convened in Winnipeg, October 21-22. Three lay persons and one pastor elected at the June 2011 convention joined the board.

The meeting began with an orientation by President Robert Bugbee based on Romans 12: 3-6 which he described as a “call to competence.” He encouraged all board members to fulfill their responsibilities “as well, consistently, and as strongly as possible as ‘living sacrifices’ pleasing to God.” 

Board of Directors chairman, Arnold Drung

Following the orientation, members elected Arnold Drung (Holy Cross, Kitchener, Ont.) to serve as chairman, and Lorne Wirth (Good Shepherd, Regina) as vice-chairman.

Rev. Paul Schallhorn (Christ Lutheran, Sarnia, Ont.) is secretary and Dwayne Cleave, treasurer. The board also appointed board members and non-members to its committees including Mission and Social Ministry Services, Communication and Technology, Higher Education, Worship and Music and Cultural Properties and Archives.

 With the resignation of Dr. Ian Adnams who served as editor of The Canadian Lutheran since 1995, the board needed to appoint a successor as outlined in the Handbook of Lutheran Church–Canada. Upon recommendation from LCC’s Council of Presidents, Mathew Block (Good Shepherd, Regina) will serve as the new editor as part of his responsibilities as LCC’s communications manager. He begins his position November 15.

Finances

Dwayne Cleave, LCC treasurer, provided an overview of the current fiscal state of the church. He noted that overall income across all districts was below expectations. Both the East and Central districts forward a fixed percentage of the mission offerings they receive from congregations to finance the work Synod does on behalf of the whole church. When congregations reduce or fail to send their gifts, this places additional financial pressures on LCC’s mission work overseas, higher education and other areas which congregations have pledged to support. “The largest single source of income for the work we do together comes from congregations through their districts,” Mr. Cleave explained to the board. “Regular giving in congregations goes much further than the local parish.” He also noted how LCC has reduced staff in Winnipeg to accommodate declining income, however “there’s only so much of that you can do before essential services are compromised.”

On the positive side, the treasurer, who also serves as executive director of Worker Benefit Plans (WBP) announced that congregations and other employers received a 2.6 percent reduction in their pension contributions beginning in October. This reduction comes after WBP negotiated long-term loans from LCC’s three district Church Extension Funds to stabilize funding. One board member suggested congregations consider sending the 2.6 percent extra funds to districts “for the Lord’s mission in LCC.”

Higher education

The directors spent considerable time reviewing the current status of the Memorandum of Understanding the BOD signed with LCC’s two seminaries in June. The MOU provides for an expenditure cap for seminary education beginning in 2013. Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines reported it had received a three-year accreditation from the Association of Theological Seminaries (ATS) following an internal assessment and an on-site assessment from an ATS team. One of the areas the ATS cited that contributed to a shorter accreditation period was the lack of permanent leadership for the seminary. Currently, CLTS works with an acting-president. Based on the ATS report and acting on a request from the CLTS Board of Regents, the Board of Directors granted permission for CLTS to begin a search for a president. Since the Edmonton seminary has a ten-year accreditation and the ultimate goal of the MOU is to amalgamate the two seminaries, the directors saw the need to place both institutions on the same footing. The CLTS Board of Regents believes it can provide for a full-time president and still remain within the targeted budget restrictions.

First vice-president, Rev. Nolan Astley, who chaired the task force which created the MOU, suggested the need to “set aside organizational unity (ie amalgamation) in favour of operational harmonization.” He noted that due to complicated legal  matters, an amalgamation of the two seminaries is a long-term project. However, the board directed its Committee on Higher Education to explore what is needed to bring it about.

Another issue within higher education arose with the news that, due to budget constraints, Concordia University College of Alberta (CUCA) is discontinuing the position of Director of Church Work programs yet still continuing to offer the program. While this is an operational decision for which CUCA is responsible, the board realized the broader implications for the church-at-large. It asked its Committee for Higher Education to monitor the situation and for Dr. Gerald Krispin, president of CUCA to provide ongoing reports on the state of the program.

Lutheran heritage

In June 2010 the board received a report from the Task Force on Cultural Properties and Archives. Due to the pressing needs of the seminary task force, the report did not receive attention from the board until this meeting. After careful consideration the board approved the report in principle and asked its Committee on Cultural Properties and Archives to present recommendations for implementation. The report recommends that Lutheran Church–Canada’s heritage program come under a national structure with broad-based funding.

Board committees will meet either face-to-face or through conference calls over the next four months to prepare for the BOD’s next meeting in March 2012.

Rev. Dr. Wilbert Kreiss

A vibrant voice for Lutheranism in the French-speaking world is now silent. Rev. Dr. Wilbert Kreiss, former president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church–Synod of France and Belgium, was attending a conference of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation in Africa and died in his sleep October 24. He was 74.

Rev. Dr. David Somers, LCC’s missionary in Quebec called Dr. Kreiss a “trusted consultant and resource” for French-speaking LCC pastors and members. “He was the face of  Lutheranism—in print— for francophones in Quebec; a guiding light used as God’s instrument to the point of being a patriarch of francophone LCC.”

He was a guest professor for two seminary (St. Catharines) intensive courses held in Montreal for francophone students; contributed several hymn texts to Liturgies et cantiques luthériens (LCL) and was the chief translator of Lutheran Service Book’s Divine Service IV for LCL. “His works still constitute the bulk of all confessional Lutheran works written in French,” noted Dr. Somers. Many of his contributions are online at http://www.egliselutherienne.org/

For the last thirty-five years, Dr. Kreiss also took a deep interest in Africa serving as theological trainer of Congolese pastors. He travelled fifteen times to both Congos to help build up two confessional Lutheran churches there. At the same time he wrote the French seminary courses for the LCMS Board for Missions, mainly for its African missions in Togo, Ivory Coast, and Guinea where he also taught. These courses form the basis for LCC’s French-language Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) studies in Quebec.

Dr. Kreiss studied theology at the Centre d’Etudes Théologiques in Châtenay-Malabry and at the Lutherische Theologische Hochscule in Oberursel in Germany. He earned a doctorate of theology at France’s University of Strasbourg and received three honorary doctorates from both LCMS seminaries.

He served the Lord as pastor at St-Pierre (Châtenay-Malabry) from 1962 to 1964 and simultaneously at four congregations in Alsace from 1964 to 1972, then at two congregations from 1972 to 1973. He then served as director and professor at the Centre d’Etudes Théologiques (seminary) in Châtenay-Malabry until his retirement in 1997.

He served the Evangelical Lutheran Church–Synod of France and Belgium as vice-president from 1974-1992 and then as president from 1992-2000. 

While funeral arrangements are in process, LCC President Robert Bugbee asks for prayers for Dr. Kreiss’ wife, Marguerite, and his family.

Based on a report from Rev. Jean Thiébaut Haessig, president of Église Évangélique Luthérienne—Synode de France.

Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch addresses the CLS Sacred Convocation in May, 2011

The president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton, Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch sent a letter of resignation to LCC President Robert Bugbee; Rev. Mark Dressler, chair of CLS Board of Regents; and Rev. Don Schiemann, president of the ABC District. The resignation is effective immediately.

Dr. Zeuch, a native of Brazil, accepted the call to serve as president of CLS in January 2007. “I was honoured to lead CLS through the phases of renewal in curriculum and vision,” he said in his letter noting that the changes will continue as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding which seeks to produce cost efficient and sustainable seminary education in Canada. He believes his “mission and vocation at CLS has now come to an end, and it will be good for other leaders to continue in the path of the agreement reached in June.”

“These sorts of moments are bittersweet for me,” commented President Bugbee. “I will deeply miss the warmth and collegial spirit that Dr. Zeuch always displayed toward me personally in his role as seminary president, and yet I thank God for his consecrated service, both to CLS and to the Synod.” He asked the church to pray the Lord’s guidance for the Zeuch family in the future, and for the ongoing work being done by faculty, staff and students at Concordia Lutheran Seminary.

The Board of Regents will name an acting-president in the near future to provide oversight of the seminary’s operations.

Organized by Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) and Lutheran Church–Canada’s Alberta-British Columbia District, the Regional Outreach Conference (ROC) was the first held in Canada. Speakers included Rev. Greg Seltz, speaker of The Lutheran Hour; Rev. Dr. Robert Newton, president of the LCMS California, Nevada, Hawaii District; and devotional leader, Rev. Dr. Glenn Schaeffer, ABC District’s mission executive. Participants came from B.C., Alberta, Idaho, Oregon, Colorado and Washington State and represented a broad demographic cross-section. “As you looked around the room, you saw tables of young adults, teens, and older adults taking notes and discussing the issues with each other,” observed Ian Adnams, LCC’s director of Communications.

The opening session on Friday evening introduced a new element to the ROC. Rev. Seltz and ROC organizer and host, Faith Spellbring, setup video clips featuring common reactions and responses to the Christian faith and church. Groups around tables then used information shared by Rev. Seltz in his keynote address to help formulate responses. (One pastor, seated with teens, middle-aged people and seniors noted a difference in reactions depending on age.) Following the table discussions, all participants had the opportunity to share with the conference what they had discussed and learned.

Rev. Dr. Robert Newton answers a question following his keynote presentation

Saturday’s plenary session featured Rev. Robert Newton who described how the church’s place in society has changed drastically over the past 100 years and how that impacts outreach in the 21st century. Whereas at one time the church had a place of authority and influence on society, that is no longer the case he noted. The result is a general population for which church is irrelevant or an unknown. That attitude affects how Christians witness to their faith. Dr. Newton talked about how the church and Christians need to be “permeable,” breaking down walls and allowing people to see who we are: “100% saints and 100% sinners.”

Eighteen workshops on Saturday afternoon provided practical insight into making the most of outreach opportunities with specific groups and in various situations. Six Canadian presenters took charge of seven workshops. Teens spent the day in LHM’s five14 program specifically designed for that age group.

“More than the content, it was great seeing so many people from so many areas and walks of life with the same interest in outreach” said John Kim, a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Surrey, B.C. “The ROC renewed my energy, passion and vision for outreach.”

The ROC emphasized that the focus for witness is always Christ and it is through His strength that Christians share His Good News. In practical terms, it is important for everyone to know their neighbours and neighbourhoods then use that information to establish relationships and to serve them.

LHM plans another ROC-type event as part of the Int’l Lutheran Laymen’s League convention in Saskatoon in July 2012, and a year later in conjunction with Lutheran Church–Canada’s National Youth Gathering in Winnipeg.

Snowbirds can attend a ROC in Orlando, Florida, January 13-14, 2012. More information about Regional Outreach Conferences is available at www.lhm.org/ROC